


BLEACH, Descenso al Infierno [GOD IS DEAD / BACKMASK]

by tari101190



Category: Bleach
Genre: Bleach - Freeform, Bleach Headcanons, Bleach References, Bleach: The Hell Verse, Canon, Canon Disabled Character, During Canon, Gen, Hell, Major Original Character(s), Minor Original Character(s), Original Character(s), Pre-Winter War (Bleach)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:13:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23611366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tari101190/pseuds/tari101190
Summary: While Ichigo and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads face the powerful arrancars across both Karakura Town and Hueco Mundo, each arrancar slain by a soul reaper's zanpakutô descends to the depths of Hell. Now the Captains of the Five Court Guard Squads of Hell must also take up arms, continuing the battle by defending the Five Courts of Hell from the arrancar intruders.
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 188.1	Descenso al Infierno [CRUSH THE WORLD DOWN \SIDE-B]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Ichigo and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads face the powerful arrancars across both Karakura Town and Hueco Mundo, each arrancar slain by a soul reaper's zanpakutô descends to the depths of Hell. Now the Captains of the Five Court Guard Squads of Hell must also take up arms, continuing the battle by defending the Five Courts of Hell from the arrancar intruders.
> 
> Grand Fisher vs. TSUNAYASHIRO!

Prologue

“The zanpakutô cleanses a soul of its crimes so it can enter the Soul Society, but not all hollows make it in. The zanpakutô can only wash away the sins of a soul committed as a hollow. Those who committed heinous crimes while they were alive, are handed over to Hell.” ― Excerpt from the latest edition of the Spiritual Arts Academy’s textbook, ‘The Soul Reaper Regulations Encyclopaedia'.

September 2nd 2001. 1st Level of Hell.

The sound of the rushing wind rises in his ears as its envelopes him.

I’m…falling.

He falls as his eyes strain to open for the first time since awakening.

Am I…falling to my death?

He's falling too fast to get a sense for his surroundings. All he can make out the fading shapes of a…

Skeletons? A Gate? No. How…?

He attempts to re-position himself as he falls. Struggling for control as the rushing air envelopes him more intimately.

I was…

He remembers.

“KUROSAKI!”

He remembers the name of his enemy. The one who cut him down. The one who…

You!

Emboldened by his rage, he manages to contort his body into position better suited to take in his surroundings.

But…

He looks as he falls, but he can't quite place where he is.

Where the hell am I?

It’s nothing he recognises. A vast empty landscape with nothing below him but sea of white cubes waiting for him below.

That bastard! Is it that damned AIZEN again? Did Aisslinger or Di-Roy find me? No.

The surface is fast approaching.

I remember.

The wind is deafening.

I remember!

Instinctively, he reaches for the zanpakutô on his back with one hand.

I remember…a blade-

BOOM!

The floating white cubes below manage to stay in place somewhat, cushioning his fall.  
His large frame draped across a dozen or so of them. He catches a glimpse of chained inhabitants, draped in cloaks, in the few of the apparently floating white cellblocks cells beneath him that couldn’t withstand his descent.

What the fu-

Then they appeared. The Kushanâda – armoured, monstrous giants who serve as the guardians of Hell. They approach him slowly, but with purpose.

I remember a blade.

Half a dozen giants appear as if from nowhere and everywhere, all at once. Converging on him with a crystal-clear mission.

“I remember you bastards. It was one of you with a damned blade. It dragged me through that damned gate!”

He readied himself. Creating a foothold on the rubble among the white cubes. Preparing for battle once again.

Wait. No. It was KUROSAKI’s blade. His father. Another damned soul reaper. Didn’t he cut me down?

Too late. They're here for him. Monstrous beasts. Vaguely humanoid. Loosely armoured. They look like the mutated undead, but unlike any hollow. He unsheathes his sword, blowing away the first three to approach him with the spiritual-pressure from his blade alone.

That damned soul reaper! But…how? Did I survive?

Almost instantly, the rest are upon him from the opposite side. Swords drawn. Aiming to kill. The fallen one blocks their blows with his bare arm before kicking another away.

I've seen those gates before! And their blades! I’m sure of it…

Before he can finish his thought, they're upon him again. The ones he thought were already slain were now back on their feet. Weapons primed and held high.

Wha-? What are they?

He struggles to block, instead opting to leap backwards through the air, creating a foothold for himself using the spiritual-matter in the atmosphere.

Menos Grande? Gillians? No. Adjuchas?

He watches them approach. Almost gliding through the air towards him. As if they are a part of the fabric of this space.

They've doubled in number already? Where are they coming from?

He readies himself to attack, taking in a deep breath before immediately coughing up the very air he just inhaled.

"Huh?"

The air is almost toxic to breathe. While it is just as heavily saturated with spiritual-matter as Hueco Mundo…the nature is different to what he's accustomed to. In that moment, he hesitated. They were upon him now.

"Bagh! I won’t lose to you! Whatever you are!"

They surrounded him. They're hands almost holding him in place in the air. It took everything he had just to throw them off of, and just long enough to prepare to cut one down.

"I won't be taken down by you! Witness the power of an arrancar!"

The desperate battles rages in mid-air, while an audience of two watch on with curiosity.

"My, my, my…What do we have here?"

A tall, middle-aged, pale, thin woman stood in the air. Her arms were crossed over a loosened scarf around neck, while her head was cocked to one side. She was watching from a few dozen meters back with a look of delight and intrigue at the spectacle ahead of her. She was dressed in the unmistakable black uniform of a soul reaper. But with one quirk; she wore the robe of a Captain, but the colours were inverted. A black Captain's robe on a black soul reapers uniform. The white symbol in the centre of her back denoting that she belonged to the 1st Squad. Draped over her left shoulder was what appeared to be some sort of thin rope which hung what appeared to be a ‘nagamaki’, a Japanese-style long-sword, with an overly long hilt, over one shoulder. She unfolded her arms and flicked her scarf over right shoulder as she looked down at her companion from the corner of her eye, who was still standing on one of the white cubes below.

"Reach out to the Visuals Department for a report. I’m sure my dear old cousin from ‘up above’ can fill in the details of what exactly we are witnessing."

"Right away Captain."

Her companion was a darker skinned woman with shorter, finely curled, hair. Also dressed in a soul reapers uniform, with a zanpakutô strapped to her left waist in the form of a ‘katana’, a Japanese-style long-sword. She had Vice-Captain's badge strapped to her right arm. Also denoting that she belonged to the 1st Squad. But its flower, a Red Spider Lily, was not recognised among the 13 Court Guard Squads. This Vice-Captain was younger than her Captain. In her prime, but less experienced, and less impressed at the battle that raged ahead of them. More so, she was worried about the impact if the battle went on for too long. But her fears need not go on for much longer.

The Captain stepped forward.

"Captain?"

Without turning back to her own Vice-Captain, she briefly stopped and waved her hand as if to say, 'don't worry about it'.

"Oh, I’m not going to wait. Just be sure to give me the report after I deal with this."

The Vice-Captain immediately drew out her divine-messing device and began to dial a number.

"Yes Captain."

This was a losing battle for the fallen one. While his power was enough to keep his assailants at bay, they appeared to have infinite stamina, and would definitely wear him out in time. His breaths were shallow, and with each desperate breath gorging on the toxic spiritual-matter in the air, the battle wouldn't last for much longer unless he…

He felt a change in the wind. The mistakable 'whoosh' of a soul reaper's 「Shunpo」. His head whipped behind him to get a quick glimpse of her.

"And who the hell are you supposed to be? Another soul reaper?"

The mysterious Captain's sense of intrigue had seemed to fade. She reached for the sheathed nagamaki, hanging over her shoulder.

"Ha. No matter…behold the TRUE power of an arrancar!"

Her presence had pushed him to escalate things further. Now was not the time to for restraint.

"Oppress! 「Violador」!"

He was cut down before he could finish calling out the name of his sword.

"H-how…"

That blade. Another damned blade…not…again…you…you damned…soul reaper…I'm falling…again…

September 5th 2001. 4th Level of Hell. 4th Court of Hell. The Eternal Monastery. The Sub-basement’s private laboratory.

Wha…Where…?

Grand Fisher attempts to opens his eyes, but the light is too strong. He feels as if he has just awoken from a deep hibernation. 

SPLASH!

He thrashes about as much as he can before realising that he is be unable to move his body entirely. He is trapped within a tank filled with fluid. 

SMACK!

With all the strength he can muster, he manages to at least slam his palm on to the glass, attempting to draw some attention. But more worrying for him is that for a second, he does not quite recognise his human looking hand.

This…is…!

He looks up, finally beginning to make out his surroundings. He is in a laboratory of some sort. A figure is ahead of him, dressed in surgical attire, performing surgery, or an autopsy, on the specimen laid out on the table before him.

That’s…

A muffled voice interrupts his thought.

“Captain, he appears to be awake.”

The surgeon looks up from the table and slowly approaches Grand Fisher.

That’s me! One of my「Lure」’s? How…

The surgeon stands barely an inch away from the glass, with his eyes locked on Grand Fisher’s own. Assessing him. Gauging his awareness. The figure is bald, has no eyebrows, and there is nothing covering his face but a surgical mask. The right-side of his face appears to be heavily scarred to the point that even his right ear is almost fused to his face.

“Who…”

Wordlessly, the figure waves a hand over the glass and Grand Fisher begins to fall into deep slumber once more before he can let out a garbled word from within the tank.

Chapter 188.1 Descenso al Infierno [CRUSH THE WORLD DOWN \SIDE-B]

September 7th 2001. 1st Level of Hell.

Falling.

Five arrancars fall from the sky. Like a shower of meteorites burning up on entry to the atmosphere.

BOOM!

There are five consecutive crashes into the floating prison cells of the 1st Court of Hell.

"Did Lord AIZEN save us?"

"We’re…alive?"

"Ha…hahaha!"

"What the hell is this?"

"I can’t…breathe."

Shawlong KOUFANG. Edrad LIONES. Yylfordt GRANZ. Di-Roy RINKER. Nakeem GRINDINA. The fracciónes of the Sexta Espada Grimmjow JAEGERJAQUEZ strain to stand on the floating white cubes that broke their fall.

There is a mix of excitement and fear in the air among the five. Shawlong being the most alert and the first to activate his 「Pesquisa」.

WHOOSH!

"Well, well, well."

Shawlong's head whips up ahead of him. He sensed their arrival too late.

"Here we are again, so soon."

The Captain and her Lieutenant hover above the five arrancar intruders.

"More arrancars, again. But more evolved this time? Yes." The Captain casually assessed the situation.

"It appears the reports were accurate, Captain." Her Lieutenant stands by her side, with her right hand already poised to draw on her own sword too at a moment’s notice.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Di-Roy was the first to address them to Shawlong’s chagrin.

We must be cautious!

"More soul reapers?" Yylfordt appeared to be psyching himself up. He perhaps knew the danger they were in but didn't want it to show in his voice.

"This doesn't appear to be Soul Society or the World of the Living. And yet…" Edrad was more concerned with his surroundings.

"I remember losing. Dying!" Nakeem was already regretting not using his resurrección before, and he would not make that mistake again.

"Yeah…me too." Di-Roy was preparing to draw his sword.

"No fool! If we were dead, then why are we here?" Shawlong attempted to stop his comrades from acting too rashly.

Edrad stepped forward looking intently at their visitors.

"Right. If those Court Guard soul reapers are here too, then we can’t be-"

The Vice-Captain flippantly turned to her Captain, not acknowledging the prattering of the arrancar intruders below her.

"Captain, shall I…?"

The Captain stepped forward and lifted what appeared to be her nagamaki from off her shoulder.

"No, no, no, Miss UBUGINU. I shall handle this myself."

Di-Roy had his sword drawn and was poised at the two soul reapers.

"Huh, you handle ‘us’? You're outnumbered you old hag! And we already survived a fight with a Captain-class soul reaper. You-"

WHOOSH!

The Captain was behind them in one step.

"My dear boy, do not mistake us for one of the old man’s lackeys. We don’t answer to him or anyone above. We are not of the 13 Court Guard Squads."

WHOOSH!

"We are…the Minus Squads."

Vice-Captain UBUGINU stood on the opposite side of the arrancar group, attempting to prevent their escape.

"You know, I must commend this AIZEN fellow after all. He truly does good work." The Captain's excitement began to build as she saw the arancars up close.

Shawlong drew his zanpakutô, and the last of others slowly followed suit.

"Who are you?" Edrad asked in a panic. Realising the irony of his own question, after he recently felt there was no need to know the name of his last opponent before the battle begun.

The Captain appeared to hold her sword from both ends, revealing that what she held was actually two nagamakis sheathed together, with each blade stored within in each other sword’s overly long hilt.

"My dear friends…I am Captain Sachiko TSUNAYASHIRO of the 1st Court Guard Squad of Hell. Head of the branch of the TSUNAYASHIRO family stationed in Hell."

The arrancars could only up look up at her with a look of confusion and fear. Paralysed in part by said fear, but also by her rising spiritual-pressure.

"This the 1st Court of Hell. Eternal Solitary Confinement."

She fully drew both of her swords and held them at either side.

"Welcome to Hell."

To be continued…

Next, Grimmjow’s fracciónes vs. TSUNAYASHIRO!


	2. Chapter 211.2	Descenso al Infierno 2 [Stroke of Sanity \SIDE-B]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Ichigo and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads face the powerful arrancars across both Karakura Town and Hueco Mundo, each arrancar slain by a soul reaper's zanpakutô descends to the depths of Hell. Now the Captains of the Five Court Guard Squads of Hell must also take up arms, continuing the battle by defending the Five Courts of Hell from the arrancar intruders.
> 
> Grimmjow’s fracciónes vs. Captain TSUNAYSHIRO!

Chapter 211.2 Descenso al Infierno 2 [Stroke of Sanity \SIDE-B]

Over 300 years ago. Seireitei. The Noble District.

Machiko UBUGINU has served under the TSUNAYASHIRO family for centuries. Originally, she had been enrolled by her family into the Spiritual Arts Academy as a young child due her high aptitude in the spiritual arts. She was told that ‘in order to serve Soul Society well, she must work toward a higher calling’. She didn’t quite understand it herself at the time, but even back then, she was simply glad to have a purpose in her young life. She felt useful and needed. She felt important.

Over the next six years of the academy’s curriculum, she excelled. In all areas, not just in zanjutsu, hakuda, hohô, and kidô, but even in the history and politics of Soul Society that the Central 46 and the 13 Court Guard Squads prided themselves on. After passing her academy graduation exam, she was excited to undergo the process of being assigned to a squad. Of which she had set her sights set on the 1st Squad and serving under the direct oversight of Commander Genryûsai Shigekuni YAMAMOTO. It appeared as though everything had lined up for her in her short life, and that her life’s purpose would already be fulfilled.

But the day had come, and she found she had not been assigned to any squad at all. All her fellow cadets had graduated and moved on. And yet…she alone was sent on her way to meet with the stewards of the TSUNAYASHIRO great noble family. Here she was told that she wasn’t working all these years to serve in the 13 Court Guard Squads at all. No, she was being groomed to be sent to the depths of Hell. Yes, to serve a 1st Court Guard Squad as she hoped…but of the Court Guard Squads of Hell instead. A realm that has served as a prison for sinners deemed too vile to be granted access to Soul Society. This is the purpose that she was training for after all. A life spent in service, not to protect the history and ideals of Soul Society. But to overseeing the worst of all life that humanity could muster for a million years.

“Machiko, from today onwards, this will be your new captain. Captain of the 1st Court Guard Squad of Hell – the ‘Hell of Eternal Solitary Confinement’, Yukiko TSUNAYASHIRO - ‘The Warden of Hell’.

September 7th 2001. 1st Level of Hell.

Vice-Captain UBUGINU stood firm with her zanpakutô drawn, ready to act at her Captain’s command. Before her were five arrancar intruders; hollows who had assumed the powers of soul reapers with the use of some forbidden spiritual-techniques bestowed up on them by a criminal. A defector of Soul Society and the 13 Court Guard Squads. A traitor who offended everything she had hoped to devote her life to. 

“Snip! 「Tijereta」!”  
"Awaken! 「Volcánica」!"  
"Impale! 「Del Toro」!"  
"Burrow! 「Gusano」!"  
"Bludgeon! 「Simio」!"

BOOM!

Even UBUGINU was forced to take a step back. The spiritual-pressure released by the five arrancars surprised her. They were easily more powerful than she expected.

To think that the 13 Court Guard Squads managed to take down five of these monsters at once. Truly, they must be as formidable as I believed. Impressive. And yet…

Through the debris encircling the area, caused by the immense collective spiritual-pressure of the arrancars, she could spot her Captain. She had a sly smirk plastered on her face, but she didn’t appear to be physically fazed by the spiritual-pressure at all.

“Captain-”

Captain TSUNAYASHIRO looked up at the site. Five monstrous being stood before her. More hollow than soul reaper, now that their true power had been released.

“My, my! What a display!”

UBUGINU strained her voice to shout once more, while defending her eyes with her forearm.

“Captain!”

Without even looking across in UBUGINU’s direction, TSUNAYASHIRO just raised her right hand as if to shoo or quite UBUGINU. Signalling that there was nothing to fear, and more importantly, not to interrupt.

“Just begin the call!”

Very well.

UBUGINU took a breath and begun the incantation while inscribing the necessary markings.

"Black and white net. Twenty-two bridges, sixty-six crowns and belts. Footprints, distant thunder, sharp peak, engulfing land, hidden in the night, sea of clouds, blue line. Form a circle and fly through the heavens…"  
Both hands shot forward as the casting had been initiated.  
“Bakudô #77! 「Tenteikûra」!”  
Across the five levels of Hell, of all 20 of the prison officers stationed within each the 5 Courts of Hell, totally 100 soul reapers in all, it was only the Captains and their Lieutenants who had been connected to the telepathic calling. UBUGINU had been tasked with contacting the other Captains in the event that any further arrancars intruders were to arrive at the 1st Level of Hell. The plan was for the Captain to quickly dispatch them, before UBUGINU would make preparations to have them sealed in their formerly decommissioned prison camps that were currently being prepared for re-opening. Once this was carried out, preparations would be made for an immediate emergency Captains meeting. Meanwhile, Captain TSUNAYASHIRO was still engaged with the five arrancar intruders who were none-the-wiser that their arrival was anticipated after all. Each of the five had taken aim as they each charged up a 「Cero」 in an attempt to end the battle quickly.  
“Ah yes! First resurrección, and now the signature technique of a menos grande…”  
BOOM!  
“「CERO」!”

The arrancars called out as their discharged, highly concentrated, explosions of spiritual-energy were directed at the Captain.  
“CAPTAI-”

UBUGINU faltered for a second, fearing the worst…until she sensed her Captains spiritual-pressure above of her and the arrancars heads. She was already upon them before they had time to react. In that brief moment, TSUNAYASHIRO locked eyes with UBUGINU for the first time since the battle began.  
“Rise to attack! Rise to defend! 「Gozu」! 「Mezu」!”  
There was a flash, and a burst of spiritual-pressure greater than anything UBUGINU had sensed in the centuries since her tenure in Hell had begun. She couldn’t maintain her stance, or the bakudô, at this distance. She had to retreat. But the message had been sent. And Captain TSUNAYASHIRO’s display of force would be sensed across even the Lowest Level of Hell, as a signalling beacon that the Hell was under-siege.  
Perhaps…the power of a Captain, and the power to protect Soul Society can be found even here after all. Perhaps even here, I can still be of use.

September 7th 2001. Lowest Level of Hell. The 5th Court of Hell.

A Captains meeting was being held within the barracks of the 5th Court of Hell. In attendance was Captain of the 1st Court Guard Squad of Hell – the ‘Hell of Eternal Solitary Confinement’, Sachiko TSUNAYASHIRO - ‘The Warden of Hell’, accompanied by her lieutenant, Vice-Captain Machiko UBUGINU.

“My, my, it has been some time since we’ve all had together here like this isn’t it?”

Also in attendance was Captain of the 2nd Court Guard Squad of Hell – the ‘Hell of the Eternal Labour Camps’, Iemasa SHIHÔIN - “The Taskmaster of Hell”, accompanied by his lieutenant, Vice-Captain Xûn FÊNG.

“Lady Sachiko! We could feel the tremors of your fine work even below! Phew! It almost stopped the sinners in their tracks! I cannot wait to get in on the action myself!”

Captain SHIHÔIN is a middle-aged, tall, dark skinned, muscular, man with a large handlebar moustache, and a long ponytail. He wears the traditional soul reaper uniform, but with a sleeveless shirt, and an inverted, sleeveless black Captain’s robe, with a white symbol denoting that he belonged to the 2nd squad. He wore long white tipless gloves which extended past his elbows. He stood wide with his hands on both sides of his waist.

His Vice-Captain is a younger man, with short dark hair, and fair skin, dressed in a traditional soul reaper’s uniform, also sleeveless, with a Vice-Captain’s badge on his left arm. He wore a zanpakutô at his waist in the form of a traditional katana.

Also in attendance was Captain of the 3rd Court Guard Squad of Hell – the ‘Hell of the Special Prison Service Education School’, Hiroko KUCHIKI - ‘The Matron of Hell’, accompanied by her lieutenant, Vice-Captain Nagako ÔMAEDA.

“Hmmph. In all my years of service…to be summoned so haphazardly…It’s unsightly. Hmmph. Let’s hope this can be resolved quickly and quietly.”

Captain KUCHIKI is a middle-aged, tall, fair skinned, over-weight woman, with her hair neatly tied up in an ornate bun. She wore the traditional soul reaper uniform, but with a larger and wider sash around her waist, beneath her inverted, black Captain’s robe, with a white symbol denoting that he belonged to the 3rd squad. She stood regally, with both hands hidden within the sleeves of her robe. 

Her Vice-Captain is a middle-aged, shorter, fuller-figured woman dressed in a traditional soul reaper’s uniform with Vice-Captain’s badge on her left arm. Her hair is similarly neatly tied up in an ornate bun. She also wore a zanpakutô at her waist in the form of a traditional katana.

Also in attendance was Captain of the 4th Court Guard Squad of Hell – the ‘Hell of the Eternal Monastery’, Yoshinobu SHIBA - ‘The Supreme Bishop of Hell’, accompanied by his lieutenant, Vice-Captain Mutsuhito ISE.

“…”

Captain SHIBA is a middle-aged, tall and spindly man who wore a long, basket-style, monks’ helmet, which obscured his entire head. He also wears the traditional soul reaper uniform, with an inverted black Captain’s robe, with a white symbol denoting that he belonged to the 4th squad. He stood with both arms folded at his chest, with both hands hidden within the sleeves of his robe.

His Vice-Captain is a middle-aged, bald, fair skinned man dressed in a traditional soul reaper’s uniform with vice-Captain’s badge on his left arm. He also wore a zanpakutô at his waist in the form of a traditional katana.

And finally, chairing the meeting was Captain of the 5th Court Guard Squad of Hell – the ‘Final Judicial Court’, and Commander of the 5 Court Guard Squads of Hell, ‘The Chief Justice of Hell’ and ‘Lord Executioner’, accompanied by his lieutenant, Vice-Captain Sadako KYÔRAKU.

“Hmmm…Silence now. Let the meeting of Captains of the 5 Court Guard Squads of Hell commence!”

The Commander sat on an ornate throne in the centre of the back of the room, addressing a pair of captains on either side of himself. He wore a traditional Japanese-style ornate war-mask, helmet, armoured gloves, and breastplate over the tradition soul reapers uniform, with an inverted black Captains robe. While he was an elderly man, it was difficult to discern any particular physical features due to his extensive uniform. But from the sounds of his voice, his age and experience were clear. He sat with both arms outstretched as he rested both hands on the butt of his ‘ôdachi’, a Japanese-style great-sword, standing in place before him.

His Vice-Captain is a tall, middle-aged woman, with long hair and, fair skin, dressed in a traditional soul reaper’s uniform with vice-Captain’s badge on her left arm. She also wore a zanpakutô at her waist in the form of a traditional katana.

The Commander subtly turned his head to Vice-Captain KYÔRAKU who was positioned to his side and gave her the briefest of nods. At his behest she stepped forward and appeared to take over the meeting.

“Thank you, Commander.”

The Vice-Captain stands before the Commander with her head held high, and hands behind her back.

“On August 6th 2001, Captains Sôsuke AIZEN, Gin ICHIMARU, and Kaname TÔSEN perpetrated a series of egregious crimes against Soul Society, resulting in their escape and unauthorised defection from the 13 Court Guard Squads. They had murdered the members of Central 46, having fabricated their orders for some time beforehand, stolen classified information from the Great Spirit Library, and orchestrated an unlawful execution of a soul reaper.”

There is a sense of unease among the captain and their lieutenants. TSUNAYASHIRO notices UBUGINU’s head turn away, as if to the news was especially difficult for her to hear. 

“In the time since, it has also been discovered that the three traitors have long since conquered Hueco Mundo, and enlisted an army of arrancars under their control – an army of hollows who have been grated the powers of a soul reaper through forbidden spiritual-techniques. Of which, an artefact called the ‘hôgyoku’ is believed to be their primary method for utilising said techniques.”

Captain SHIBA’s head appeared to almost perk up, but his expression couldn’t be read through his headgear.

“The power of these arrancar, especially ones of the menos grande class, are deemed formidable and could potentially rival or exceed the combined might of the 13 Court Guard Squads. The average spiritual powers of AIZEN’s primary forces are expected to exceed 6th class at least.”

Vice-Captain FÊNG notices the fists of Captain SHIHÔIN begin to clench by his sides, as a smirk begins to creep on to his face. FÊNG subtly attempts to nudge the Captain, to ensure he avoids displaying too much excitement.

“Soul Society is at war. Commander YAMAMOTO has assumed the duties of Central 46 in addition to his role as Commander of the 13 Court Guard Squads.”

Once more there is a collective sense of surprise from the captains.

“While Seireitei is working tirelessly to fully assess the situation, as well as AIZEN’s true motives, we have been informed to expect and influx of arrancar intruders to Hell during this period of war. It is believed, and now confirmed on our end, that these arrancars are able to maintain their hollow powers despite being slain by the zanpakutô of a soul reaper. “

Captain TSUNAYASHIRO nods in agreement. Suggesting that she possibly knows more than others in the room.

“We believe it is due to the fact that they do not register as purely hollow by the zanpakutô and are instead some sort of abomination that is partway between a plus, soul reaper, and hollow. As such, they are deemed a continued threat even after being slain ‘up above’.”

Captain SHIBA turns to his lieutenant, who nods in agreement. An unspoken language can be exchanged between them with mere looks and the briefest of sounds.

“And now for the good news…At the moment, due to the combined efforts of our own Science Division, as well as Soul Society’s Kidô Company and Technological Development Bureau working in tandem, a new method has been developed for dealing with the arrancar intruders upon their arrival.”

Captain KUCHIKI appears to be especially surprised at the speed at which they worked under these conditions. She wouldn’t have expected such efficiency under normal circumstances.

“A new bakudô, which is in effect a feat of reverse engineering of an ability unique to the menos grande; the 「Negación」. Which, as you know, can entrap hollows and protect them from external influence. We call it「Onmyôdô Hanmaku Kekkai no Gogyôfû」. “

There is a collective sense of amusement from the captains and lieutenants.

“Yes, yes, I know… leave it to the Kidô Company to come up with overly long…”

The Commander appears to shift subtly in his seat.

“As I was saying…with this new bakudô, we can safely transport the arrancars into the newly recommissioned prison camps that we previously used for the souls of quincy’s both 1,000 years ago, and 200 years ago.”

The room goes silent.

“As they were used then, the arrancars will remain there until a date a set for their extermination and permanent removal from the cycle of reincarnation.”

At the mention of quincy’s there was an unmistakable shift in the Commander’s spiritual-pressure, which was sensed by everyone present.

“As you can imagine, they have no use for a bakudô like this ‘up above’ as their prime directive is to kill all arrancars on-sight. But here, we do not have that luxury. As it was expected, and now confirmed, that the 「Reanimation」ability granted to all inhabitants of Hell - sinners and soul reapers alike - by the Spiritual Pulse of Hell, also automatically revives arrancars from the dead when slain in Hell. So, time is of the essence. Once your arrancar opponent has been slain by your own hand, your lieutenant is expected to initiate the bakudô immediately, before the arrancar can be automatically revived.”

The Commander appears to grip the hilt of his zanpakutô tightly. Vice-Captain KYÔRAKU used this as a signal to bring the meeting to a close.

“Now, your lieutenants will be given detailed reports on everything that has transpired thus far. Everything else you need to know is contained within said reports. So, we will not be taking any further questions at this time.”

On the heels of her last word. the Commander grips his sword’s hilt tightly with both hands and slams the end of it on the ground with purpose.

“Captains. You have your orders. Now…move out! And prepare for war!”

To be continued…

Next, Aaroniero & Szayelaporro vs. KUCHIKI!


	3. Chapter 269.3	Descenso al Infierno 3 [The End Is Near \SIDE-B]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Ichigo and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads face the powerful arrancars across both Karakura Town and Hueco Mundo, each arrancar slain by a soul reaper's zanpakutô descends to the depths of Hell. Now the Captains of the Five Court Guard Squads of Hell must also take up arms, continuing the battle by defending the Five Courts of Hell from the arrancar intruders.
> 
> Aaroniero & Szayelaporro vs. KUCHIKI!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The particular chapter is in part inspired by the "imaginary number 01. the unforgivens" promotional chapter that Kubo did for the Hellverse movie. This should be viewed as an alternative take on that chapter as the events asthat occur in that, cannot exist here.

Chapter 269.3 Descenso al Infierno 3 [The End Is Near \SIDE-B]

It had been some time since the 5 Courts of Hell have been actively engaged in war. Commander YAMAMOTO had first founded the 13 Court Guard Squads of Seireitei in direct response to the invading forces of Yhwach’s army of quincies. Working together with High Priest HYÔSUBE, the 5 Great Noble families, and Central 46, the first Captains were recruited under YAMAMOTO‘s direct command. With the war won, and Yhwach’s forces driven from Soul Society, it was decided that that overseers of Hell would take on a new form, serving in a similar capacity to YAMAMOTO‘s army.

The surviving quincies of the war were imprisoned deep beneath the Dark City in the Lowest Level of Hell, and a deadly new kidô had also been developed to dispose of them; when worked in tandem with the Sô’onsha, it was possible to entirely eradicate the souls of quincies, thereby removing them from the cycle of reincarnation permanently. Similarly, to what the quincies themselves did to hollows slain by their own hands. A fitting fate indeed.

The Sô’onsha was one of a pair of twin zanpakutô’s created for the forces of Hell. Ordinarily it was used to execute the souls of sinners who had fulfilled their tenure across all 5 Levels of Hell, and earned ‘amnesty’, and the gift of reincarnation. A gift not reserved for the quincies. Whereas the second twin of the pair, the Sôkyoku was created for the forces of Soul Society, and used to execute the souls of criminals and who had earned ‘righteous retribution’.

200 years ago.

Central 46 had made the difficult decision to order the 13 Court Guards Squads to systematically exterminate all quincies in the World of the Living, with the aim of reducing their population to as close to nil as possible. As a result, the prison camps from 800 years prior were once again reopened for use.

Captain Yukiko TSUNAYASHIRO was personally tasked with shepherding the defeated quincies from the World of the Living into the Prison Camps in the Lowest Level in Hell. What was not expected however, was that the quincies would not go without a fight. A riot ensued and the souls of several quincies had managed to escape from the 1st Level of Hell, back through the Purgatory Path, and even through the Gates of Hell. Captain Yukiko TSUNAYASHIRO had taken it upon herself to attempt to retrieve them all, deciding that it was her responsibility alone. Unbeknownst to her, she was subject to an ambush by quincy assailants who had anticipated her arrival. Ultimately, Yukiko TSUNAYASHIRO did not survive the assault. And since she had crossed beyond the boundary of Hell when she had died, the 「Reanimation」granted by the Spiritual Pulse of Hell was not in effect.

Soon after, the main house of the TSUNAYASHIRO had quickly made the decision that Sachiko would succeed her identical twin sister and assume the duties of the ‘Warden of Hell’. While not as disciplined as her sister, Sachiko still had much affection for her and was happy to honour her late sister’s legacy. They were often spoken of as a ‘pair who shared the same soul before their birth’. As such, Sachiko had made the decision to claim ownership over Yukiko’s zanpakutô with the hopes of wielding it for herself. 「Gozu」was Sachiko’s zanpakutô, while「Mezu」was originally Yukiko’s. Two zanpakutô now wielded as one.

November 1st 2001. 1st Level of Hell.

Two months had passed since the first arrancar intruders had descended to the depths of Hell. In the interim, the Captains and lieutenants of the 5 Court Guard Squads of Hell have made their final preparations to engage the incoming threat from on high. All the while trusting in their counterparts from ‘up above’ to do their duty, ending the war on their own side, thereby signalling the start of the war below.

“It begins, UBUGINU.”

Another arrancar fell from the skies. Descending upon the 1st Level of Hell. Captain TSUNAYASHIRO and her lieutenant, UBUGINU, were approaching the expected crash-site.

“Yes, Captain.”

The initial excitement at the prospect of new enemies had appeared to wear off since their first day of contact. Today they weren’t intrepid adventurers just happening upon something novel. Today they were defenders of the 5 Courts of Hell under direct orders from the Commander.

“And perhaps…today, we may finally find an opponent worthy of Yukiko’s 「Mezu」 after all.” TSUNAYASHIRO gripped her zanpakutô firmly as she ran.

UBUGINU raised her eyebrows and smiled warmly to herself, not expecting the Captain to mention the name of her predecessor under these circumstances.

“Yes…Captain.”

One solitary arrancar had crashed to the 1st Level of Hell. Tesra LINDOCRUZ, the sole fracción in the service of the Quinta Espada Nnoitora GILGA.

“I…failed you…Master Nnoitora…”

WHOOSH!

The pair of soul reapers had arrived at the scene.

“Hmmm, just you, is it? That’s disappointing.”

Tesra looked up the soul reapers who flanked him on either side, before his eyes glanced around to survey the area.

“Perhaps you should begin to make preparations for the bakudô, UBUGINU.”

TSUNAYASHIRO stepped ahead of her lieutenant, standing between both her and Tesra. 

“Yes Captain, right away.”

UBUGINU had taken out a small handheld artefact, an ornately designed orb, and began chanting while it glowed in response to her words. Tesra immediately drew his sword and struck towards UBUGINU. TSUNAYASHIRO effortlessly blocked the strike with her sheathed-swords and pushed Tesra back with a greater show of force. Tesra struggled to steady himself as he was thrown backward. He rested on one knee, and as he did, the sounds of thunder could be heard from above. UBUGINU, TSUNAYASHIRO, and Tesra, all looked up to see two objects falling from the sky and great speed. 

This spiritual-pressure…Master Szayelaporro!

In her ear, Captain TSUNAYASHIRO could hear a message from Visuals Department keeping her abreast of the situation.

“Two more arrancars detected! Each with spiritual powers estimated to be at least 8th class! Prepare for impact!”

TSUNAYASHIRO watched as the two arrancars fell at even greater speed and ferocity than any of the previous arrancar incursions. So fast in fact, that they continued to fall past them and straight through the 1st Level of Hell. They were headed directly to the levels below them.

WHOOSH!

“Ah it appears the intel was correct! The higher the spiritual-pressure, the further they will fall!”

TSUNAYASHIRO focuses her attention back to Tesra.

“A pity. I suppose you will have to entertain me for now.”

TSUNAYASHIRO drew both of her swords and stood ready to engage. In response, Tesra quickly rose to his feet and positioned his sword by the side of his head.

“Gore them! 「Plato Colmillo」!”

There was an explosion of spiritual-pressure as Tesra underwent his resurrección.

November 1st 2001. 3rd Level of Hell.

“It would appear the time has finally arrived ÔMAEDA. You know what to do.”

Captain Hiroko KUCHIKI spied through a small pair of binoculars at the sight of two arrancars crashing down from the sky, evidently through both the 1st and 2nd Levels of Hell, and into their domain of the 3rd Level of Hell. She handed her binoculars her lieutenant without so much as glancing in her direction, before using 「Shunpo」 to vanish from sight.

WHOOSH!

“Right away, Madam KUCHIKI…”

In an instant, ÔMAEDA was beside her Captain, with a small, handheld orb in hand, which began to glow as she began chanting. They were both perched on the cliff edge of a vast mountainous landscape which oozed with yellow plumes of lava.

The arrancar intruders had crashed into the valley directly below. Attempting to catch their breath as they stood, the muffled voices of the arrancars could be heard. They appeared to be addressing one another in a manner that quickly escalated into an argument.

“Szayelaporro…”

“Aaroniero…? Hmmm…I assumed there would be others would fall alongside me…But I never expected it to be you…Although I must say…that certainly is quite a strong tank that you have. I expected it to have developed a crack or two after falling from such a height.”

“Did I hear that right Szayelaporro? I could have sworn I heard you say you had hoped that my tank had cracked?”

“Oh, you must have misheard me. That, or you’re being overly distrustful. I never would have insinuated such a thing. I was merely making an observation. For if it had cracked, then I would be free to conduct some first-hand research on the fluid contained within your tank. That’s all.”

“Why you…”

Captain KUCHIKI appeared to be amused at the sight. She looked over to ÔMAEDA who was steadily further along in preparing the bakudô for their eventually capture.

These truly are nothing more than…well, beasts. Failed imitations of soul reapers. Not even capable of discerning the barest of information from their surroundings.

Captain KUCHIKI continued to peer down at the arrancars below, while slowly drawing her, ‘tantô’, a Japanese-style dagger, from the sash around her waist and concealing the exposed dagger within her sleeve as she folded her arms. Meanwhile, the arrancars continued their argument below.

“How convenient…While I do not know where we are right now, it is fortunate that Master AIZEN does not appear to be present right now either. I’ve always disliked you, Szayelaporro. And if you were to come to an untimely demise in this place, there would be innumerable ways to cover it up…One of which, being devoured whole, by my 「Glotonería」, and adding your power to my own!”

KUCHIKI raised an eyebrow.

Oh? Are these savages truly going to fight between themselves after all?

“Wait! You fool! Don’t you see something is amiss right now? Did you not hear what you yourself just proposed?”

Hmmm…That one appears to have some semblance of intelligence it seems.

“You just said ‘I did not know where we are right now’, did you not? Do you not suppose that instead of needlessly killing each other right now, we should perhaps inquire your own line of thought first and foremost?”

“I couldn’t care less. I could always discover the answer after I feast on you.”

“Do I need to spell it out for you, Aaroniero? Do you not understand the difference between you and I? The proof is quite literally written on our flesh. Even the simplest of simpletons should be able to grasp that much.”

KUCHIKI nodded to herself as she began to listen more intently on the conversation below.

Ah yes. The reports did indicate that the highest ranking arrancars in AIZEN‘s army were ranked in order of power.

“I am the Octava Espada. And you are merely the Novena. You lose to me.”

KUCHIKI had turned her attention to Vice-Captain ÔMAEDA once more. A nod was exchanged between them, acknowledging that the bakudô was now prepared. Now, all that had to be done, was to dispose of the arrancars.

KUCHIKI used this as her que to step forward. She had finally grown tired of the bickering of arrancars.

“The law of Hueco Mundo does not apply here Szayelaporro! And without your damned laboratory you have no-”

“Fascinating…”

Captain KUCHIKI now stood on the very edge of cliff, directly addressing the arrancars beneath her.

“If you wish to know where you currently reside…Then you need not look any further.”

She smiled proudly as she addressed them both from on high. Forcing them to strain their necks to look upon her.

“You are in Hell. My abominable guests.”

The dumbfound arrancars continued to look up at their new adversary, while Szayelaporro began to realise that it was difficult to accurately discern the spiritual-pressures of anyone nearby without finely attuning ones 「Pesquisa」. The spiritual-matter that saturated the atmosphere was too thick.

“And who are you!? Come down here and face us if you dare! You can’t kill both of us!”

KUCHIKI was almost offended at the notion, to the point that she found it amusing that they would call upon her.

“Oh my! ‘Come down and face you’ is it? Disgusting.”

Her expression hardened as she spoke her next words.

“To think that I would descend to your level, in my own domain no less…How unsightly.”

The arrancars below were agitated at her words, but Szayelaporro used this opportunity to finally activate his 「Pesquisa」.

“As for not being able to kill the likes of you…You foul wretch! Did you not hear me the first time?”

As the gravity of the words struck Szayelaporro hard, so did the realisation that the level of spiritual-pressure of the one who addressed him…undoubtedly exceeded his own.

“This is Hell…And you are already dead.”

To be continued…

Next, Nnoitora vs. SHIHÔIN!


	4. Chapter 298.4	Descenso al Infierno 4 [INTRUDERZ 3 \SIDE-B]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Ichigo and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads face the powerful arrancars across both Karakura Town and Hueco Mundo, each arrancar slain by a soul reaper's zanpakutô descends to the depths of Hell. Now the Captains of the Five Court Guard Squads of Hell must also take up arms, continuing the battle by defending the Five Courts of Hell from the arrancar intruders.
> 
> Nnoitora vs. SHIHÔIN!

Chapter 298.4 Descenso al Infierno 4 [INTRUDERZ 3 \SIDE-B]

November 1st 2001. 3rd Level of Hell.

“This is Hell…And you are already dead.”

The words haunted the two Espada who stood in the shadow of the soul reaper who just pronounced their deaths. Aaroniero turns to Szayelapporro in desperation. Seeking another answer to a question that only has one.

“What the hell is she talking about?”

Perhaps in an attempt to not appear as dim-witted as his companion, Szayelapporro regained his composure, and looked up once more.

“Hmmm…Hell indeed. I see. Thank you for reminding me. It does in fact appear that I had died at hands of that insufferable soul reaper.”

The unforgettable sense of centuries passing in an instant as he waited for death at the hands of one Mayuri KUROSTUCHI. The anger and humiliation had finally motivated Szayelapporro to act.

WHOOM!

In an instant, Szayelapporro has closed the gap between himself and the Captain. With his 「Sonído」, he was upon her, face to face atop the cliff edge. He struck out with his zanpakutô in hand.

CRASH!

“Now, señora, answer me this! Is it possible to escape from this ‘hell’ and return to Hueco Mundo?”

Despite the surprise attack, KUCHIKI did not falter. The attack had destroyed where she stood on the edge of the cliff-side, but she had managed to counter any direct damage by blocking his blow with her own zanpakutô. She now stood in the air, just above where Vice-Captain ÔMAEDA now stood alone.

Hmmm. As the report indicated, when the arrancars make use of their own unique high-speed movement technique, it is not possible to track their spiritual-pressure until they reappear. How unsightly…

“Heavens no. There is not. You are trapped here.”

A flustered Szayelaporro found his footing in the air and asked once more. A desperate plea, more so than a genuine question. As the reality of his predicament plagued his mind, he couldn’t seem to focus on the battle at hand and so was opting for brute force, which goes against his usual way of dealing with things. He was so out of sorts he didn’t even think to take advantage of the exposed Vice-Captain standing below him.

“Are you certain? Do not withhold any vital information from me now? If I truly cannot escape from this torture, I can at the very least dish out as much as I can take! Trust me!”

He had seemed to finally hit a nerve. The Captain was no longer able to keep her composure.

“Ugh…what a truly vulgar beast you are. Do you not comprehend who you are addressing right now? I am the authority here!”

Her face contorted into a snarl.

“I am Hiroko KUCHIKI! Captain of the 3rd Court Guard Squad of Hell! And as long as you are in my domain, you have no choice but to do as I command!”

With her words, the true depths of her spiritual-pressure quickly became apparent. He confirmed up close what he had sensed from below. She surpasses him. And with this new influx of fear sobering him, he finally took notice of Vice-Captain ÔMAEDA below. He could sense the kidô she was preparing. But more importantly, he could sense the similarity in its nature to the 「Caja Negación」device created by TÔSEN and AIZEN which were usually utilised by the Espada on their own fracciónes.

They knew we were coming? No, more than that; they were preparing for it! 

“What is this!? Who are you people!?” He desperately asked frantically.

KUCHIKI had taken his moment of hesitation to compose herself once more. 

“ÔMAEDA, it would appear that our ‘guest’ is not quite satisfied…”

With her spiritual-pressure rising to it’s peak, she drew out her zanpakutô from her sleeve once.

“But I will not continue to be questioned any further by the likes of-”

“Devour her! 「Glotonería」!”

WHOOM!

Before she could act, Aaroniero had appeared behind Szayelapporro, already having released his resurrección. In one final desperate plea, Szayelapporro’s head whipped behind him to warn the enraged Espada. 

“Wait! Aaroniero!”

But his cries fell on deaf ears. 

“Do not underestimate the power of the Espada! Now prepare to be devoured!”

KUCHIKI held out her zanpakutô before her.

“You revolting swine! Get out of my sight at once!”

Aaroniero’s bulbous tendrils stretched out towards the Captain’s immediate direction, as Szayelapporro desperately attempted to dodge and fall back.

“Ride the sky! 「Kazehiwa」!”

ZAP!

A blinding flash of red lighting lit up the sky above of the 3rd Level of Hell.

November 1st 2001. 2nd Level of Hell.

SPLASH!

Captain Iemasa SHIHÔIN could barely keep still. He was bouncing in place as he stood in mid-air with Vice-Captain Xûn FÊNG. They watched as the two arrancars crashed into the vast open waters of the 2nd Level of Hell. He could sense both Captains TSUNYASHIRO and KUCHIKI engaging in their own battles above and below him respectively. The anticipation of engaging in a battle of his own, was only increasing with every passing second. A fact not gone unnoticed by his lieutenant.

“Rest assured Captain. It would appear that your opportunity for battle has finally presented itself in earnest. These two didn’t fall through to the lower level entirely it would seem. So, they’re all yours.”

Vice-Captain FÊNG had opted to begin preparations for the bakudô in advance once multiple arrancars had started appearing elsewhere.

“Finally! Finally, finally a worthy opponent. Someone for me to try out this technique on who won’t die so easily in the process. Both your cousin and mine from ‘up above’ truly outdid themselves with this one.”

Captain SHIHÔIN was flexing and stretching. Engaging in his final warmups before going into battle.

“You all set there Xûn?”

FÊNG held a glowing, ornate orb in hand. The preparations for the bakudô had been set. Now all he had to do was maintain it.

“I’ll be fine Captain. Don’t worry about me.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, the Captain was gone.

“Got it!”

WHOOSH!

The heads of Nnoitora GILGA and Zommari RUREAX both emerged from under the water at the same time. Bobbing just above the surface. Gasping for air, and trying to catch their breaths, all while trying to mentally get a grip on their immediate surroundings.

“Zo-Zommari? You’re here too? Where the hell are we!?” 

“I…I can’t be certain! But I believe-”

There confusion was short-lived.

“「Shunkô」!”

SPLASH!

Before another word could be uttered, and before even a thought could be fully formed, a torrent of wind blew both Espadas out of the water. They leapt to the skies, haphazardly creating footholds of spiritual-matter for themselves in the air, skidding to a desperate halt. Nnoitora instinctively lugging his oversized axe out of the water with him, while Zommari already had his own sword drawn too.

“What the fu-“

WHOOSH!

SHIHÔIN was already upon Nnoitora. He barely had time to block the Captain’s ‘kodachi’, a Japanese-style short-sword, drawn from across his lower back.

“Who the hell are you!? And where the hell are we!?” 

Zommari used this opportunity to surround both SHIHÔIN and Nnoitora with five clones of himself produced by his「Gemelos Sonído」. In the brief moment that the Captain turned to look around and the one encircling him, Nnoitora decided to dive through the air, back down towards the water. Out of the soul reaper’s reach.

“Ho, ho! So you’re fast! Good, good! This must be the 「Sonído」 that I’ve heard so much about. Is that right?” 

Zommari and his speed-clones each have swords in hand as they close in on the Captain. However, before the blades can strike, SHIHÔIN closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and begins to concentrate spirit-energy across his arms and back…

“「Shunkô・Fûjin Senkei」!”

There is another explosion of wind, far larger than before. It blows through Zommari and his clones, banishing them off into the distance. Nnoitora watches from below, trying to withstand the force of it while using his「Pesquisa」 to assess the immediate threat.

“Tch! What is hell going on!?” 

Nnoitora takes notice of Vice-Captain FÊNG overhead, just out of range of the blast, and prepares to fire a 「Cero」 in his direction.

Take this!

“「Cero」!”

FÊNG can see the concentrated explosion of spiritual-energy headed his way.

I can’t dodge it!

“Open! 「Rengoku-Mon」!”

BOOM!

Nnoitora watches the smoke clear from above. The Captain stands in front of FÊNG with his forearm held up, covering his face and chest. He has a large wooden shield attached to his forearm, with a golden seal in its centre. Both the Captain and his lieutenant appear to be entirely unfazed by the attack.

“Th-Thank you…Captain!”

SHIHÔIN turns back to FÊNG to gives him a thumbs up, a wink, and a nod.

“Hmph!”

FÊNG subtly nods in acknowledgement before watching the Captain descend through the air down towards Nnoitora once more.

Damnit! Did he block it?

Nnoitora, embroiled with rage, lifts his oversized zanpakutô overheads and roars from the top of his lungs.

“Screw you, arsehole! Let’s go! Pray! 「Santa Teresa」!”

SHIHÔIN smiles at the explosion of spiritual-pressure building up below him.

“Hahahaha! Yes! Now, this is a battle! 「Shunkô」!”

Nnoitora has assumed his resurrección transformation and leapt up once more to clash with Captain SHIHÔIN in mid-air. The explosion of power sends waves of turbulent water thrashing as far as the eye can see.

November 1st 2001. 1st Level of Hell.

Captain TSUNAYASHIRO stands with both of her long-swords drawn by her side, standing among the defeated bodies of a dozen arrancars.

Hmmm…The difference in power between arrancars without humanoid forms, or zanpakutô’s of their own, is abundantly clear after all. Only half of them are still on their feet.

“Up! Get up! What would your King say if he saw you now, huh?”

Even in his resurrección transformation, Tesra is battered and bruised. He shouts for his recently arrived comrades to stand and fight.

“My, my…Impressive! You still have some fight in you after all, don’t you? But who is the King you’re referring to? Is it that AIZEN fellow?”

TSUNAYASHIRO points her left blade towards Tesra, calling him out, and excepting an answer.

Abirama REDDER, Findorr CALIUS, Choe Neng POWW, Ggio VEGA, and Nirgge PARDUOC all slowly begin to rise around her.

“We fight in the name of King of Hollows who ruled Hueco Mundo for thousands of years…before Lord AIZEN usurped his throne!”

“We fight for King Baraggan!”

TSUNAYASHIRO lifts her left hand to her chain, genuinely considering the words she had just heard.

How curious…

But the arrancars had finally lost their patience.

“Scrape the Sumimt! 「Águila」!”  
"Carve upon the water! 「Pinza Aguda」!"  
"Breathe! 「Calderón」!"  
"Bite Off! 「Tigre Estoque」!"  
"Stomp Down! 「Mamut」!"

Vice-Captain UBUGINU watched from a safe distance as her Captain once again found herself sorronded by an army of arrancars. She felt tension in the air. Not necessarily due to fear of the Captain losing, and not even due to fear for her own life. The tension came from her anticipation of seeing her Captain’s zanpakutô used to its full extent in the first time in 200 years. She felt that in some cathartic manner, that the release of said zanpakutô could serve as closure and retribution for the battle they never had the chance to win 200 years prior.

“「Cero」!”  
“「Bala」!”

Collectively, Tesra and the fracciónes of Baraggan LOUISENBAIRN had launched their most devastating attacks at the Captain. Although, she appeared to have no trouble dodging and weaving between each blast.

“You know, I truly must admit…I admire your devotion. Even in death, you are loyal to your former master. I cannot fault you for that. You have lived as hollows for centuries. In a constant battle for survival. And yet…you still found someone to rally behind. Bravo!”

WHOOSH!

She stood just out of reach of their senses for the moment. Glancing down at borrowed sword in her right hand.

Are these worthy opponents after all? Sister?

“Rise to attack! 「Gozu」! Rise to defend! 「Mezu」!”  
In unison, the arrancars turned in the direction of the Captain once more at the sudden rise in her spiritual-pressure. She stood again with her pair of zanpakutôs, but no longer in the form of long-swords; instead, now 「Gozu」took the form of a ‘trishula’, a form of trident, mounted on the end of a traditional nagamaki hilt, while「Mezu」took the form of a ‘kanabô’, a Japanese-style studded-metal-club, also mounted on the end of a traditional nagamaki hilt.

WHOOSH!

In an instant, the Captain had vanished once more.

“Argh!”

She had struck POWW directly in the centre of forehead with 「Gozu」. The action appeared to set his head aflame as the force of the blow sent him soaring across the tops of the white cubes of the 1st Level of Hell. The other arrancars hesitated for a moment, but it needn’t matter; she was upon Abirama next, striking him directly with 「Mezu」, right across his beak, freezing his entire face on impact while he was sent crashing down into the floating white cells below their feet. Captain TSUNAYASHIRO stood before the remaining arrancars with both released zanpakutôs in either hand. A smile began to creep across of her face once more.

“Oh, come now, don’t stop now. I’ve only just began to enjoy myself!”

The arrancars were frozen in place, hesitant to move…

Lord Nnoitora! We cannot…reach you…

At that moment of desperation, the spiritual-pressure of another arrancar could be felt descending from the sky. The most powerful one so far. 

Once more, in her ear, Captain TSUNAYASHIRO could hear a direct message from Visuals Department informing her of what they know.

“Please be advised. Another incoming arrancar detected. At least one signature, but it is difficult to tell. But more importantly, we are detecting spiritual powers estimated to be at least 9th class!”

TSUNAYASHIRO‘s attention was taken by the incoming threat from above.

This one is likely to be landing on the lower levels…I hope you are prepared down there. The battle isn’t over yet.

To be continued…

Next, STARRK vs. SHIBA!


	5. Chapter 302.5	Descenso al Infierno 5 [Pride on the Blade \SIDE-B]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Ichigo and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads face the powerful arrancars across both Karakura Town and Hueco Mundo, each arrancar slain by a soul reaper's zanpakutô descends to the depths of Hell. Now the Captains of the Five Court Guard Squads of Hell must also take up arms, continuing the battle by defending the Five Courts of Hell from the arrancar intruders.
> 
> STARRK vs. SHIBA!

Chapter 302.5 Descenso al Infierno 5 [Pride on the Blade \SIDE-B]

November 1st 2001. 1st Level of Hell.

“Ha! Hahaha! This spiritual-pressure! You feel it right!?”

Findorr gleefully exclaims at the prospect.

“Ah, yes. Oh right. A friend of yours, hmmm? Enlighten me.”

TSUNAYASHIRO‘s turned back to the arrancars before her, trying to understand his meaning.

“Fool! If he’s here too, then doesn’t mean he died like the rest of us?”

Nirgge is more sceptical than his comrade.

“Exacta! But if he is here, and his Majesty is not, then his Majesty is now the Primero once more!”

Findorr, however, has appeared to be given a second wind. He is now more motivated than before.

‘Primero’ eh? Hmm…

TSUNAYASHIRO‘s believes that she has begun to understand the situation a little more closely.

“Ah, I see, I see. My, my, my! It would appear than even the most powerful of the Espada is now here, correct?”

Ggio and Findorr share a knowing look between themselves.

“Bah! No matter! He’s here now, isn’t he? He won’t lose here. Not with Lords Nnoitora, Zommari, Szayelapporro, and even Lord Aaroniero here too to back him up. Surely together, they won’t lose?”

Ggio reassures himself, wary not to divulge too much before his opponent.

“Let’s end this battle quickly! 「Tigre Estoque – El Sable」!"

At behest of his own words, Ggio’s muscle mass proceeded to increase by multiple times. 

“Exacta!”

Findorr appeared to strike his own hollow mask, rendering the little he had from his own face.

“With the majority of my mask now broken, my spiritual-pressure has become far more formidable! Do you truly believe you can evade us all at our peak, soul reaper?”

WHOOM!

Ggio, Findorr, and Nirgge surrounded TSUNAYASHIRO once more using 「Sonído」. They intend to launch a coordinated strike.

“Interesting. I must admit, I didn’t expect teamwork-”

WHOOM!

Tesra barrelled through the air towards the Captain, fist outstretched, with the last of strength all focused into one desperate final strike. The others did not wait to see if the strike had hit its target. Ggio, Findorr, and Nirgge all follow suit, striking in unison.

TSUNAYASHIRO‘s barely managed to block Tesra’s punch with, 「Mezu」, freezing his fist on contact. But she was forced leap into the air to dodge Ggio’s blades, before slamming her heel down on one, snapping it in twain. Then, in an instant, she drove her 「Gozu」 through the chest of Nirgge, engulfing him in flame from his centre. However, she wasn’t quite able to evade Findorr at the same time.

“「Tijeras Neptunea」!“

A wave of highly pressure water struck TSUNAYASHIRO before she could safely contort her body through the air to dodge.

“Haha! No es Exacta! Not so easy is it, soul reaper?”

The right side of TSUNAYASHIRO ‘s uniform had been burnt off. Her arm was exposed, and her sleeve was gone. Not only that, but it would appear that her scarf had also been caught up in the attack and was burnt almost in half as well. The Captain was uncharacteristically silent and sullen. Her spiritual-pressure began to rise once more.

Sorry, Yukiko…I should have taken better care of it.

WHOOSH!

Findorr had been slammed into the ground, laid out on his back by the Captain’s 「Mezu」, his body was slowly being encased in ice from his chest.

“Perhaps, arrancar…I have taken you all far too lightly!”

Findorr desperately begins to please doer his life.

“Wa-wait!”

Ignoring his cries, the Captain drove 「Gozu」 into Findorr’s chest too, shattering his entire abdomen in an explosion.

“As long as my「Gozu」remains in direct-contact with its target, the spiritual-matter of said target is forcibly excited to the point of ignition. Whereas Yukiko’s 「Mezu」here, as long as it remains in direct-contact, it can stop that spiritual-matter in its tracks, forcing it into a state of inertia. But when both are used used in tandem, the conflicting abilities simply force the target to combust!”

The centre of Findorr’s body shattered into a flurry of ice shards beneath the weight of TSUNAYASHIRO ‘s zanpakutôs.

She stands and turns to face to last of her opponents. Her spiritual-pressure unmistakably dwarfing everyone in her immediate vicinity.

Ggio and Nirgge are barely on their feet, having lost their confidence from mere moments prior. While Tesra, POWW, Abirama, and another six monstrous, inhuman arrancars watch in fear. Too weakened and petrified to act.

November 1st 2001. 2nd Level of Hell.

Nnoitora is exchanging a flurry of blows with Captain SHIHÔIN in mid-air. SHIHÔIN in turn is alternating between dodging, and blocking each strike that he can with his shield, or countering every other strike with a blow of his own, enhanced by his wind-powered 「Shunkô」. 

BOOM!

They’re blown apart by the force of their final blows, Nnoitora is once again sent hurtling towards the open waters below, while SHIHÔIN is thrown higher into the sky. He breaks his own ascent by releasing a burst of wind from his back. It was at this point that SHIHÔIN had realised that he had not been wearing his Captain’s robe for some time.

“Oh! Sorry Xûn! It would appear that I forgot to remove the robe in time when I activated 「Shunkô」. Don’t tell the Commander!”

As Nnoitora floats in the water, he is plagued by the overwhelming memories of Kenpachi ZARAKI. Laughing as they crossed swords back and forth.

That bastard. He killed me?

Nnoitora attempted to steady himself once more, as he took a short leap in to the air just above the water. Gripping each scythe tightly, with all four of his hands, teeth grinding, and blood boiling.

“Gah! You goddamn soul reapers!? Another crazy one aren’t you? Who the hell are you already?”

SHIHÔIN had repositioned himself mid-air close to Xûn once again. He’s rolling his shoulders and stretching some more.

“What do you think? Is it time for-”

“Captain look out-!

Before he could answer there was another explosion of spirit-pressure not far off from them in the air.

“Subside! 「Brujería」!”

Nnoitora looks up from the surface of the water below to spot a Zommari in his resurrección transformation, hovering in mid- air, with his many eyes focused on the Captain.

“Ho? I was wondering when you would resurface.”

Zommari was intoxicated by madness. Impatient and desperate to end things.

“「Amor」!”

Nnoitora grinned to himself.

Heh. It’s over now.

The symbol of Zommari’s ‘love’ appeared at the centre of SHIHÔIN ‘s shield…but the symbol gradually begins to fade away. Zommari was distraught.

“What!? How! How did you block my「Amor」 !?”

Without even thinking, SHIHÔIN ‘s lowers his arm to gesture to the golden seal at the centre of his shield. The seal being the previous hand-guard from the base on his blade in the sealed form of his zanpakutô.

“Huh? The ‘eye’ of my Rengoku-Mon can disperse spiritual-energy. If you really want to kill me, you need do it with your own two hands.”

Zommari can’t help but remember the words of Byakuya KUCHIKI from before he was struck down.

‘For an arrancar to think he’s in the same class as me…That is the height of arrogance.’

“You…self-righteous soul reapers! Damn you!”

WHOOSH!

SHIHÔIN had instantly appeared before Zommari and dropped-kicked him into the waters below.

SPLASH!

Nnoitora watched as Zommari slammed into the water across from him, sinking to its depths.

“Tch!” 

I can’t lose again!

“Defeat you with our own two hands huh? Is that so, soul reaper?”

Nnoitora leapt up to stand in mid-air, with his four arms held high.

“How about six!?” 

Two extra arms and scythes protruded out from either side Nnoitora’s abdomen. He extended his arms wide, baiting the Captain to approach him.

“I’m not going down that easily! I’m the Quinta Espada, Nnoitora GILGA! Don’t you forget it!”

SHIHÔIN gracefully descended through the air from on high.

“Now that’s more like it! Quinta Espada was it? I like that. I am Captain of the 2nd Court Guard Squad of Hell, Iemasa SHIHÔIN. Known as “The Taskmaster of Hell.”

Hell? I see…

“Tch! So I’ve already died once today huh!? I’d like to see what you think you can do to me now, you goddamn soul reaper!”

SHIHÔIN activated his 「Shunkô・ Fûjin Senkei」 once more and repositioned himself in the air, to soar down like a rocket towards Nnoitora.

“Let’s go, you damned arrancar!”

The two foes clash in mid-air above the water.

BOOM!

November 1st 2001. 3rd Level of Hell.

Over the mountains of the 3rd Level of Hell, globules of Aaroniero’s burnt tentacles rain down.

“Argh! Damn…you…”

A silver chakram rapidly spins through the air, pulsating with scarlet electricity, forming an arc in the sky as it heads back into the hand of one Captain Hiroko KUCHIKI.

“What a pitiful creature you are indeed…”

WHOOM!

“Sip! 「Fornicarás」!”

The Captain turns her head to spot Szayelaporro in mid-air behind her, he has assumed his resurrección transformation, and he is gathering a large concentration of spiritual-energy at his outstretched hands.

“Ah yes. A 「Gran Rey Cero」…was it?”

Szayelaporro is taken aback by her accurate assessment, but cannot break his concentration, out of fear of the gathered spiritual-energy blowing up in his face.

“So…it would appear that you lot know quite a bit, don’t you?”

Captain KUCHIKI has fully turned to face towards Szayelaporro, while subtly trying to move between his imminent attack and her own Vice-Captain wo is still readying her bakudô below.

“The 「Cero」of an Espada, produced using one’s own blood as a catalyst. Do I have that right? Do you honestly believe you need to go to such lengths in your futile attempt to defeat the likes of me? Heavens…”

Her words struck a nerve for Szayelaporro.

“Frankly, no. I know this is perhaps going too far, but I have no use for you, and so have no problem reducing you cinders!”

But his confidence appeared to have been reignited with words of his own.

“Afterall, while am I interested in all those who dwell within Hell. I can simply exhume Aaroniero’s own corpse after they’ve been devoured by his 「Glotonería」!”

Captain KUCHIKI draws out a fan from her right sleeve, unravels it, and uses it to hide her mouth as she chuckles to herself.

“I see…ha. Hahaha!”

She immediately whips it shut and delivers a hardened expression as she looks at him with piercing disapproving eyes.

“To think that the likes of you actually believes that you can deem ‘me’ as being of no use to ‘you’? This is the height of absurdity!”

Her composure was waning once again, as she pointed her folded fan into the air in Szayelaporro’s direction.

“No, you beast! It is I who have no use for ‘you’…Szayelaporro was it?”

These were the last words he would hear from her, as his fury was at its peak.

“You…You arrogant wench! You are nothing! 「Gran Rey Cero」!”

BOOM!

November 1st 2001. 4th Level of Hell.

The crash site of the most recent arrancar intruder has produced a sizeable crater among the shrine-like pillars that adorned the 4th Level of Hell.

Captain Yoshinobu SHIBA, stood with his lieutenant, Vice-Captain Mutsuhito ISE, on the outskirts a few dozen meters or so from the crash site.

“The bakudô is prepared, Captain. He’s all yours.”

Vice-Captain ISE stood with his glowing orb in hand, concentrating on maintaining it, while the Captain silently acknowledged him.

WHOOSH!

Please be careful, Captain. Your work is too important…

Coyote STARRK groggily stood among the rubble at his feet. Smoke and dust still filled the air. He arched his back, outstretching his arms, and twisting his waist.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch!”

He looked up at the sky, realising how far he had fallen. He vaguely remembers falling to his death after having been cut down by a soul reaper.

Am I alone…again?

WHOOSH!

Captain SHIBA instantly appears just ahead of STARRK. His arms folded and his hands hidden within his sleeves. They exchange a look, of acknowledgement, but no words are spoken.

Another soul reaper?

Neither appears to make a move, but the unmistakable level of spiritual-pressure being emitted by the arrancar, does not go unnoticed by the Captain.

“I don’t suppose you are willing to fill me in on where we are right now…What do you say?”

“…”

The Captain appears to ignore him, and silently unfolds his arms, while drawing his own katana from his side.

STARRK sighs, shaking his head while stroking his hair. He looks back up at the Captain as he turns fully to face him head on.

“Good grief…”

To be continued…

Next, SHIBA's BANKAI!


	6. Chapter 306.6                      Descenso al Infierno 6 [Not Perfect is GOoD \SIDE-B]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Ichigo and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads face the powerful arrancars across both Karakura Town and Hueco Mundo, each arrancar slain by a soul reaper's zanpakutô descends to the depths of Hell. Now the Captains of the Five Court Guard Squads of Hell must also take up arms, continuing the battle by defending the Five Courts of Hell from the arrancar intruders.
> 
> SHIBA's BANKAI!

Chapter 306.6 Descenso al Infierno 6 [Not Perfect is GOoD \SIDE-B]

Perhaps…I’ll have some more time to repay my debt to you after all…Lord AIZEN.

Captain SHIBA has fully drawn his sword, ready and waiting for his enemy to strike. Conversely, STARRK stands nonchalantly, sighing deeply, with both of his hands placed in his pockets. He’s making no effort to reach for the sword at his waist.

“「Bala」.”

“…!”

BOOM!

With no warning, a high-velocity shot of a small concentration of spiritual-energy is discharged from STARRK’s chest. There was no warning that an attack was coming.

“Ah, sorry…”

SHIBA is forced a few metres back due to the force of the explosion. As the smoke clears, STARRK is surprised to see that the Captain was largely unfazed by the attack. He was protected by large, rectangular floating, glowing shield produced by Bakudô #81’s「Dankû」.

“Ah I see. So, you’re strong too. Who are you?”

STARRK casually addresses the Captain, trying to pry some information out of him, to no avail.

Without dispelling the bakudô, SHIBA spins his sword in hand until the zanpakutô has transformed. Now taking the form of a ‘shakujô’, a Japanese-style, golden monk’s staff, adorned with six rings at its peak.

Make a wish…

“「…Ji…zô…」!” Captain SHIBA whispers the name of his zanpakutô under his breath.

STARRK raises an eyebrow curiously.

“Oh, shikai is it?”

“…”

STARRK appears to be growing somewhat agitated. But the Captain remains silent, before moving to forcefully hit the ground with the base of his staff.

RING! 

“What’s the matter with you? Answer me-”

STARRK notices a dozen small glowing orbs of spiritual-energy manifesting around him.

“Oi, oi, are you-!

RING!

SHIBA strikes the ground with the base of his staff once more.

“…”

BOOM!

WHOOM!

STARRK uses 「Sonído」 to desperately move out of the blast-radius, with his sights set on the Captain.

RING!

SHIBA appears to be following STARRK‘s movements, while tapping the ground with his staff once again. STARRK attempts to get in position to fully assess the situation.

Two taps?

RING!

“「Cero」.”

BOOM!

As STARRK is engulfed by another explosion, he offset the damage he sustained by releasing a「Cero」 in the Captain’s direction. The explosion appears to have engulfed the entirety of the space between both combatants, with debris flying in every direction.

“Too slow.”

STARRK finally draws his zanpakutô as he prepares to close the distance between them.

WHOOSH!

“What!?”

Larger rock fragments begin to autonomously soar through the air in STARRK‘s direction.

“…”

Hadô #57. 「Daichi Tenyô」.

“「Bala」.”

STARRK releases a flurry of 「Bala」’s to shoot down the fragments.

“…”

Hadô #58. 「Tenran」.

BOOSH!

STARRK catches a quick glimpse of SHIBA twirling his staff at the epicentre of a torrent of swirling wind blasted in his direction. 

“Gah!”

STARRK barely has time to catch his breath.

“Go!”

From the rubble closer to the Captain, Lilynette GINGERBUCK leaps out, slicing through the stones flying through the air. She’s taking aim to run the soul reaper through. 

“…”

Hadô #88. 「Hiryû Gekizoku Shinten Raihô」.

The realisation hits Lilynette to late.

Crap!

“Lilynette!”

STARRK vanishes. Racing to Lilynette, to protect her body with his own.

WHOOM!

BOOM!

There is a massive explosion of spiritual-energy, but SHIBA once again protected himself with 「Dankû」, avoiding any damage himself. He watches as STARRK and Lilynette appear to have leapt in the skies to clear the immediate area. STARRK is cradling Lilynette in his arms.

“Give chase! 「Los Lobos」!”

STARRK‘s immense spiritual-pressure encompasses the entirety of the 4th Level of Hell as he and Lilynette assume their shared resurrección transformation. At the same time, the smoke finally clears from below to reveal Captain SHIBA looking up to skies, where STARRK now stands in mid-air on a foothold of spiritual-mater.

“Let’s go, Lilynette.”

STARRK takes aim with his right pistol pointed down towards the Captain.

“「Cero Metralleta」.”

A wave of 「Cero」’s engulf the area below.

BOOM!

Vice-Captain ISE watches the battle from afar, worried for his Captain’s safety more so than his own life. 

“Captain…”

Centuries ago. Soul Society.

Yoshinobu SHIBA is a man who never cared much for nobility. The advantages that his family name previously afforded him, only served to grant him access to research specimens he otherwise would not have access to. Conversely, the disadvantages of his family name meant that all decisions regarding the direction of his life, were always out of his hands. He was merely tool who acted in service to the whims of others.

Centuries before the infamous Kisuke URAHARA would found the Technological Development Bureau, Yoshinobu SHIBA was one of many independent scientists and researchers who worked within Soul Society; of which these included the likes of Senjumaru SHUTARA, Kirio HIKIFUNE, Ôko YUSHIMA, and Mauri KUROSTUCHI. Until scientists of this calibre were brought together under the auspices of URAHARA, their research was unequivocally their own. There was tension and rivalry among the community. As if they were in a competition with one another to invent something beneficial enough to the future of Soul Society, to the degree that it would earn them entry into the ranks of the Royal Guards of Squad Zero.

For Yoshinobu, as with many members of the 5 great noble families, he had a high aptitude for the spiritual arts. He was undoubtedly a prodigy in most areas, but he quickly developed a particular interest in kidô. As such, upon graduation from the Spiritual Arts Academy, he had hoped to join the Kidô Company. Unfortunately, due to societal pressures, and family expectations laid out for him without his input, he was forced in to joining the 13 Court Guard Squads instead. Under the circumstances, the best he managed to negotiate was to eventually be given a position as an Outpost Officers from within his squad. 

The Outpost Officers are unranked foot-soldiers who are generally considered to be powerful enough to be promoted to the rank of an Officer, but cannot move up be due to none of the 20 positions being free. However, it has also informally become known as a position given to members of a Squad who are too troublesome to keep around for too long. As an Outpost Officer, he was stationed in the World of the Living at an International Outpost beyond the direct supervision of Soul Society’s Eastern Branch. Here, he was finally out of the spotlight and away from prying eyes of his overbearing family. Here he could conduct his research in peace.

The focus on Yoshinobu’s research focused on naturally occurring spiritual beings who did not qualify as a soul, such as Dragons and Faeries. While their level intelligence and spiritual-powers couldn’t never reach the heights of soul reapers and hollows, Yoshinobu saw value in their unique idiosyncrasies. With no oversight, his research soon took a dark turn, delving into the realm of human experimentation. He was illegally experimenting on the spiritual-bodies of human souls in an attempt to naturally enhance their physical capabilities and spiritual capacities without the aid of hollowfication or a zanpakutô. Ultimately, as his illegal research became more ambitious, it was increasingly difficult to hide. When he had finally been apprehended by the authorities, it was only after a catastrophic, unforeseen disaster that came from experimenting on himself. His spiritual-body had been irrevocably damaged and contaminated to the point that simple motions such as speech were not possible without immense effort. 

His family, who were already on bad terms with the TSUNAYASHIRO family, understandably did not want the public shame of having one of their own executed. And so, it was arranged to have him sent to the Maggots Nest, under the watch of the Covert Operation’s 3rd Squad – the Prison Squad. Until a final decision could be made. He was there for decades.

He later even would come to find out that he had been under surveillance by the Covert Operation’s 4th Squad – the Internal Affairs Squad, ever since he was appointed the position of Outpost Officer. Meaning that to a degree, the only reason he was able to conduct his experiments was because someone in a higher authority wanted him to, unbeknownst to him. After learning this, he was plagued the idea that if they had simply allowed him to work out in the open, then necessary safety precautions could have been adhered to more strictly, and he would still have full use of his body. 

During his time in the Maggot’s Nest, Yoshinobu had come to rely on the various teachings of different philosophies and religious practices that he encountered during his time in the World of the Living. All in order to keep himself sane and find inner peace. In time, after decades of imprisonment, it was decided that he would be recruited into the 5 Court Guard Squads of Hell. Joining a branch of the SHIBA family who oversaw the 4th Court of Hell, with the hopes of taking over as Captain in due course. And so, stripped of his status as a part of the main family, Yoshinobu was cast aside and largely forgotten.

Upon eventually being appointed as Captain, he found that this was perhaps the position he had needed his entire life after all. Here he was largely separated from the politics of the Seireitei and the 5 Great Noble Families. But more importantly, here he could continue his work in peace, with the added protection of the 「Reanimation」granted by the Spiritual Pulse of Hell, which prevented death to all those who resided across the 5 Levels of Hell.

In time he had entirely changed the ethos of what the 4th Court of Hell represented. Here he would allow sinners to explore a path to enlightenment and amnesty by disassociating with their sense of self, being open to the idea that their bodies and lives are not their own, and that they should be used in service to others who need them.

Even among the Prison Officers employed by the 4th Court of Hell, he personally only sought out those who, like himself, saw the value pushing the boundaries of what could be learnt by giving their bodies over to science, and serving a higher calling. His limits for research and experimentation had no limits in depths of Hell, and everyone was a potential test subject to him.

November 1st 2001. 4th Level of Hell.

The smoke and debris are beginning to clear from the skies, beneath where STARRK currently perched in mid-air. His 「Pesquisa」 has been activated in an attempt to pinpoint the Captain’s location.

“I know. I said I know! We’re doing ‘that’.”

STARRK takes aim with his left pistol pointed down towards the Captain below. A large mass off spiritual pressure is gathered at the end of STARRK‘s pistol.

“Hmmm?” STARRK‘s begins to sense the spiritual-pressure of the Captain rising below.

“…Ban…kai…”

RING!

Tengu Jizô!

“「…Ten…gu……Ji…zô…」!” Captain SHIBA almost strains his vocal cords, calling out his zanpakutô in a whispered, broken, voice.

He struck the ground with his staff once again, but in this instance, before him is conjured a large, free-floating, ‘Buddhist Bell’, hanging in mid-air.

Atari!

“「…A…ta…ri…」!”

The Captain raises his staff, gripping it with both hands, and strikes the bell with it, using all of the strength that he could muster.

BONG!

Okuri!

“「…O…ku…ri…」!”

RING!

A haunting chime is heard from the bell, producing a row of large orbs of spiritual energy, winding up from Captain SHIBA and up towards STARRK.

“Now Lilynette! 「Gran Rey Cero」!”

STARRK discharges an immense concentration of spiritual-energy down towards the Captain. 

Oshi!

“「…O…shi…」!”

BOOM!

In turn, SHIBA‘S bankai sets of a devastating series of immense explosions. The entire area was eviscerated by the collective attacks activating in unison.

To be continued…

Next, Yammy’s resurrección!


	7. Chapter 313.7                        Descenso al Infierno 7 [TO CLOSE YOUR WORLD \SIDE-B]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Ichigo and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads face the powerful arrancars across both Karakura Town and Hueco Mundo, each arrancar slain by a soul reaper's zanpakutô descends to the depths of Hell. Now the Captains of the Five Court Guard Squads of Hell must also take up arms, continuing the battle by defending the Five Courts of Hell from the arrancar intruders.
> 
> Yammy’s resurrección!

Chapter 313.7 Descenso al Infierno 7 [TO CLOSE YOUR WORLD \SIDE-B]

November 1st 2001. 2nd Level of Hell.

The tremors of the cataclysmic clash on the 4th Level of Hell could felt across all 5 Levels. Zommari floats in the waters of the 2nd Level of Hell. The tremors of the battle below were sending waves of thrashing around him. Nnoitora was haphazardly perched on edge of the flower-like coliseum of the 2nd Court of Hell. He was already on his last legs, battered, bruised, and one arm and two scythes short.

This goddamn place…I can’t lose here!

SHIHÔIN stood in mid-air, his eyes-focused on the unseen battle in the levels below.

“Wonderful! Yoshinobu found a live-one, eh?”

SHIHÔIN bounces in place yet again, assuming another battle stance with his fists held up ahead of his face, before turning his attention back towards Nnoitora.

“We can’t have them show us up can we, Mr. arrancar? I know you still have some fight left in you!”

Nnoitora grimaces at the taunts of SHIHÔIN.

November 1st 2001. 3rd Level of Hell.

Aaroniero’s body had sunken into a valley of the 3rd Level of Hell, with simmering stumps of flesh where his tentacles used to be. The tank containing his head was cracked and the fluids were slowly leaking out.

“Damn you soul reaper! Damn you…”

KUCHIKI stands in mid-air above the cliff edge with her silver chakram in her right hand. In her left hand, she holds an unfurled fan over the bottom half of her face.

“Honestly Yoshinobu…are these beasts truly driving you to such lengths? Have some restraint.”

She quickly snaps it shut and gestures over to Szayelaporro who has slumped on the side of the mountain behind her.

STARRK…you…

“You should count yourself lucky, arrancar.”

Szayelaporro eyes snap open and he scrambles to his feet. He doesn’t want to left off-guard for too long.

“Oh…? And…why is that…señora?”

KUCHIKI raises her right arm, her silver chakram begins pulsating with red electricity.

“For I am not as brutish as my compatriots here. So, while I cannot forgive you for sullying my uniform…You can rest assure that I will deal with you, and your friend here, far more efficiently. Which is more than you deserve.”

Szayelaporro chuckies to himself. He cannot believe that he is in this position, having to battle without the aid of his inventions.

If only Miss. Roca was here…

November 1st 2001. 1st Level of Hell.

“Ah, I think you may have over done it, just a tad, Yoshinobu…”

Captain TSUNAYASHIRO, whispers to herself as she stands among the beaten and broken bodies of twelve arrancar intruders. She turns to UBUGINU in the near distance, and calls over to her.

“Miss UBUGINU! It would appear that we are just about ready to wrap up here! If you would please-”

The sound of thunder is heard from above, followed by the detection of spiritual-pressure of another arrancar falling through the skies. TSUNAYASHIRO diverts her attention upwards.

“Oh, belay that command Miss UBUGINU! It appears that we’re done not just-”

“Attention, Captain!”

The Visuals Department is frantically calling over the radio in Captain TSUNAYASHIRO‘s ear.

“What is it?”

“It’s another arrancar, Captain. We assume an Espada. Captain level spiritual-pressure has been detected. We believed 8th class but…”

“Yes? What’s the issue? Out with it!”

“Well…the arrancar appears to be…consuming the spiritual-energy of his surroundings as he falls. Ever since he passed through the Purgatory Path.”

“Hmm, I suppose that is unusual.”

TSUNAYASHIRO focuses her spiritual-perception more instantly on the falling arrancar.

“Captain…his spiritual-pressure has just crossed 9th class. But it is still growing…”

“Hmm…Well, well…”

TSUNAYASHIRO turns back to face UBUGINU. She grips both of her zanpakutôs by her side tightly.

“Miss UBUGINU! It would seem that we are not quite finished yet.”

“Yes Captain.”

Both look on as the arrancar falls, picking up speed with every second as his spiritual-pressure steadily increases. The faint cries of his roars can be heard as he falls.

At the same time, a defeated Tesra slowly begins to raise his head. The spiritual-pressure of his incoming ally appears to have spurred him and his immediate comrades to muster the strength to move.

“…Lord…Yammy…?”

November 1st 2001. 4th Level of Hell.

The atmosphere is rife with smoke and debris. A thick layer of ash billows through the air after the explosive clash of SHIBA and STARRK. Vice-Captain ISE, who was on the outskirts of the epicentre of the attacks, has found that he had been contained within a bakudô in the form of a glowing cube. 

Unbelievable…I’m unharmed? To think that the blast would reach even this far. Thank you, Captain…

“Argh! Oh no! I need to I need to recast the bakudô.”

ISE begins to focus on reciting his incantation as he holds out the ornate hand-held orb.

CRASH!

STARRK was forced to descent to the surface, stumbling to one knee, coughing as he breaths, and even dropped one of his pistols.

“…Damn…you…”

STARRK looks up, relying more-so on his 「Pesquisa」 to scan through the thick smog.

“Quiet, Lilynette! It was that bell. I lost control of the 「Cero」at the last second. That sound…it stunned me. My concentration…”

BONG!

Starrk winces at the sound.

“No…”

Through the debris STARRK can faintly make out the Captain. He appears to be perfectly protected within a bakudô in the form of a glowing cube. He had just struck the bell once more, and large orbs of spiritual-energy had begun to populate the area.

“Lilynette! Now!”

STARK’s pistols fade into spiritual-energy, being drawn into his bandoliers.

“「Manada de Lobos」!”

At his command, an almost innumerable number of flame-like wolves are conjured from STARRK’S bandoliers. Meanwhile, from within the safety of his bakudô, SHIBA strikes the ground with his staff once more, igniting the large orbs of his bankai.

RING! 

BOOM!

WHOOM!

STARRK escapes, ascending back into the sky, as his wolves intercept the large orbs of spiritual-energy, offsetting the explosions before they can reach within range of STARRK himself.

“Damn it…why did this guy have to be so strong!”

Hadô #99. 「Goryû Tenmetsu」.

STARRK stops in mid-air just out of reach of the blast. As he looks back, he can see all of the surrounding spiritual-energy – the remnants of his own kidô, the spiritual-matter that saturates the ground and the air, and even STARRK‘s own wolves, all began to coalesce around the immediate vicinity of the Captain below.

“Wha-What the hell is this!?”

The coalesced spiritual-energy takes on the form of five colossal, Chinese-Style dragons, rising from the surface, and reaching up towards STARRK at speed.

A few hours ago. Las Noches. Hueco Mundo.

“Woof! Woof!”

Yammy LLARGO laid flat on his back in his rage-enhanced resurrección transformation. Littered with cuts, and with his right arm cleaved off from the bicep. The battle was over, he was finally defeated, and barely had enough strength to roll his head to his left. Through the slits of his eyes, he can just about make out the minuscule form of arrancar #35, the numéros Kukkapûro, barking up at him.

“Woof!”

“Hmm…Why’d you follow me…? Stupid dog…”

Those were his last laboured words to Kukkapûro as his eyes closed for good. His spiritual-body began to disintegrate into ambient spiritual-matter, joining the infinite desert sand plumes of Hueco Mundo.

…Damn that spikey haired bastard…At the last second, his spiritual-pressure…

And with that, the Cero Espada – Yammy LLARGO was had succumbed to the wounds from Byakuya KUCHIKI and Kenpachi ZARAKI’s zanpakutôs.

Later. Purgatory Path.

“…Huh?!”

Yammy’s spiritual-body was reconstituted within a winding dark cave. The Gates of Hell could be seen behind him closing shut and removing the only source of light. Yammy’s in a stupor; he is out of sorts, and barely conscious. He’s falling, although it more so appears that he’s being pulled by a force that he can’t quite be explain, towards the other end of the tunnel. He’s not quite falling ‘down’, he’s just ‘falling’.

Through every other blink of his eyes, Yammy is subconsciously registering his surroundings; the eyes, blades, and armoured bodies of the Kushanâda – the monstrous Gate Guardians of the Hell, watching as he falls. They are standing guard. Keeping watch. Ensuring that he reaches his destination.

Instinctively, Yammy begins to breathe in. He inhales and ingests the spiritual-matter of his surroundings using the soul-sucking technique「Gonzui」. Like both Hueco Mundo and Hell, the Purgatory Path is heavily saturated with spiritual-matter. With each sip, Yammy’s strength is gradually restored. As he breathes deeply, Yammy appears to slowly regain consciousness at the same time.

“…Wha?…Where…the hell?”

As he begins to get his bearings, another set of Gates of Hell open ahead of him, drawing him through faster. As the doors open, the he’s blinded by the sudden illumination, and takes on last big breath on his way though.

Now. November 1st 2001. 4th Level of Hell.

BOOM!

STARRK barely managed to evade the explosive power of SHIBA’s 「Goryû Tenmetsu」. He’s covered in burns from head to toe. The fallout of another explosion rains down from on high. 

STARRK shoots through the air, descending to the ground, violently skidding to a halt. He lands on all fours in a position not unlike the stance of a wolf. He looks up with a snarl, his left eyebrow is on fire, and there are flames billowing up from the centre of the eye-patch over his right eye.

“「El Hombre Lobo」!”

STARRK’s body slowly begins to ignite in blue, wispy flames; his legs from the knees down to the soles of his feet, his arms from the elbows down to his fingertips, and the hair on his head, extending to the centre of his back.

“Coyote STARRK and Lilynette GINGERBUCK. We are one – Primero Espada.”

WHOOM!

STARRK tears across the landscape on all fours. Leaving a trail of blue flames, wherever he stepped.

SHIBA watches him approach. He’s trying his best to track STARRK’s movements, but he’s darting around too quickly. SHIBA’s spiritual-pressure perception is filing in the gaps of where STARRK is, that his eyes can’t follow.

RING!

SHIBA raises his zanpakutô and strikes the bell of his bankai once again.

Atari!

“「…A…ta…ri…」!”

BONG!

STARRK appears to stop for a brief second, perturbed by the sound, before launching himself like a bullet at the bell before it can be fully activated. SHIBA’s watches in horror, but is too slow to retaliate.

“…!”

The free-floating ball crashes to the ground, and STARRK skids across from it. He doesn’t waste any time. He launches himself at SHIBA next.

OKuri!

“「…O…ku…ri…」!”

The few orbs of spiritual-energy that SHIBA manged to conjure with the bankai ignite in the space between himself and STARRK’s approach.

Oshi!

“「…O…shi…」!”

STARRK winces at the pain, but doesn’t falter, launching his flaming paws through SHIBA’s bakudô barrier.

“…!”

He tears through it, but he can’t quite reach. His claws stop short of the Captain’s head.

“「Colmillo 」!”

The fires surrounding STARRK’s right hand coalesce into the form of a flaming katana in his hand, and he immediately slices through SHIBA‘s head.

The long, basket-style, monks’ helmet worn on Yoshinobu SHIBA’s head is horizontally sliced in half.

Further back from the battlefield, Vice-Captain ISE shrieks in horror at what he can sense from afar. 

“Captain!”

All of a sudden, the sound of thunder from above is preceded by the screams of Yammy LLARGO. His massive spiritual-pressure, comparable to STARRK’s, can be felt descending from above.

“Enrage!「Ira」!”

To be continued…

Next, The Commander of the 5 Court Guard Squads of Hell!


	8. Chapter 333.8	Descenso al Infierno 8 [Ash & Salamander \SIDE-B]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Ichigo and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads face the powerful arrancars across both Karakura Town and Hueco Mundo, each arrancar slain by a soul reaper's zanpakutô descends to the depths of Hell. Now the Captains of the Five Court Guard Squads of Hell must also take up arms, continuing the battle by defending the Five Courts of Hell from the arrancar intruders.
> 
> The Commander of the 5 Court Guard Squads of Hell makes his move!

Chapter 333.8 Descenso al Infierno 8 [Ash & Salamander \SIDE-B]

November 1st 2001. Lowest Level of Hell. 5th Court of Hell. The Dark City.

In accordance with the emergency evacuation order issued prior to the arrival of the arrancars, the nobles, residents, and non-combatant soul reapers from across all 5 Courts of Hell were gathered in an emergency shelter under the Dark City in the 5th Court of Hell. The Dark City being the only area on any level of Hell to be constructed with Sekiseki stone, enabling the area to be protected by a Soul Warding Membrane of its own. Half of the 5th Court’s Prison Officers were currently tasked with overseeing their safety, while the other half were overseeing the sinners of Lowest Level of Hell who were temporarily being gathered in the Ascension Palace. Among the nobleman evacuees, it was generally believed that a threat comparable to the Espada would never come close to where they are hidden. It was assumed that the Captains from the prior 4 Levels would successfully intercept any incoming threats in time.

“Do you hear me, boy?! We need safe passage to Soul Society, now! This shelter has been compromised.”

An elderly nobleman had approached the two Prison Offers who were guarding direct entry to the shelter. He was incessantly slamming his walking stick into the ground to accentuate every word. The two Prison officers share a worrying knowing look before one turns their attention to the nobleman.

“With respect my Lord, the time for passage to Soul Society has long since passed. It is too late. The battles have already begun. Even the World of the Living is currently under siege by the arrancars as we speak. Leaving the shelter now would only put everyone present in greater danger. Please trust in the Captains.”

Tremors from the battle of the 4th Level of Hell had been felt even down here for some time. So naturally, they were beginning to feel unsafe.

“Don’t you patronise me, boy. There are enough of us here with at least some level of spiritual-perception to know what’s what. And what we know is that with each tremor the ones known as the Espadas are inching ever closer and closer. We are safe here no longer, boy! If we die here, who do you think will run this place? You?!”

Dumbfounded, the Prison Offer considers his next words very carefully, but before he can respond, a heavy spiritual-pressure can be felt from above. Silencing everyone in the room at once.

November 1st 2001. The skies above the 4th Level of Hell.

“Enrage!”

Yammy is tumbling frantically through the sky far above the 4th Level of Hell. He’s roaring at the top of his lungs. His zanpakutô is drawn and in hand.

“「Ira」!”

There is a massive explosion of spiritual-pressure, greater than even STARRK’s, weighing down over the sky. The explosion managed to clear away the smog and debris from SHIBA’s last attack, but Yammy wasn’t slowing down. His colossal body was growing in size as he fell, eclipsing the what little light was streaming in from the sky above. He was picking up speed, and his body was steeped in flames of spiritual-energy.

November 1st 2001. 4th Level of Hell.

The bisected top half of the long, basket-style, monks’ helmet worn on by Yoshinobu SHIBA, rolled across the surface of the 4th Level of Hel, followed by a trail of blood.

The Captain’s lifeless body collapsed on to its back, as the remnants of the bakudô cube he was standing within, began to fade away.

“Yes, Lilynette, it’s over. At last.”

Wisps of spiritual-energy began to waft off of the late Captain’s staff that was still being gripped tightly by his hand, until it reverted to the form of a katana and fell from his fingers.

STARRK looked over to his side at the now cracked bell, which had crashed into the ground further back. That too, began to fade away into wafts of spiritual-energy. STARRK let out a breath and sighed deeply. Finally being able to relax after such a trying battle.

CRASH!

BOOM!

“What the-!”

STARRK stumbles where he stood before spotting the cause of the tremor in the distance. Yammy was crashing through the 4th Level of Hell and descending to the Lowest Level of Hell. STARRK sighed once more as he regained his composure.

“We’re going Lilynette.”

As turned to leave, STARRK gave one last look at the Captain’s corpse.

“Adiós…nameless monk. Sorry, I was too strong for you.”

WHOOM!

STARRK vanished, followed by a faint trail of blue flames.

November 1st 2001. 1st Level of Hell.

Yammy’s immeasurable spiritual-pressure could be sensed across all 5 Levels of Hells. As could the death of Captain Yoshinobu SHIBA.

Captain TSUNAYASHIRO stood with her head bowed, and both zanpakutô’s in hand.

“Oh, Yoshinobu…”

She was flanked on each side by Tesra, Abirama, and POWW. They had been compelled beyond reason to make one last stand after sensing the arrival of Yammy and the death of one of the soul reapers. Although Findorr, Ggio, Nirgge, and the six other inhuman arrancars were still too weakened or battle damaged to stand. In unison, Tesra, Abirama, and POWW each began to gather a 「Cero」as their final desperate attacks upon in the Captain. TSUNAYASHIRO could sense the imminent threats, however, she decidedly doesn’t look up to acknowledge the arrancars surrounding her.

November 1st 2001. 2nd Level of Hell.

Captain SHIHÔIN stood perched on the end of one of the flower-petal structures of the coliseum if the 2nd Court of Hell, as Nnoitora was previously. He has his back to the arrancars. Nnoitora was floating in the water, his head barely bobbing up over the surface. Beside him was Zommari, who appeared to be facedown halfway through the water’s surface. 

“Yammy! That idiot! He’s gonna bring down all of Hell with him! Tch!”

Nnoitora cautious looked up at the sullen Captain, worrying what action he may take next. SHIHÔIN merely raises his right-arm close to his chest, inspecting his own zanpakutô in the form of the shield attached to his arm.

November 1st 2001. 3rd Level of Hell.

Captain KUCHIKI stood overlooking the cliff edge into the distance, watching trail of the destruction wrought by Yammy’s descent.

“Utterly unforgivable…”

Aaroniero is slumped in the valley beneath the Captain. He’s attempting to plug a leak in his helmet with his right hand. Some of his tentacles that were sliced off earlier have gradually began to grow back. He has his left arm outstretched and poised in the direction of the Captain above. From the tentacle at the end of his hand, a 「Cero Oscuras」is slowly being charged up.

“Die! Soul reaper!”

Szayelaporro is similarly on his last legs, with many of his own tentacles also sliced off by the Captain’s shikai. He’s sprawled out on the ground behind both the Vice-Captain and the Captain. He can faintly sense Aaroniero’s spiritual-pressure spiking from below. At this point, Szayelaporro begins to chuckle to himself. Perhaps at the thought of Aaroniero actually succeeding in his attack. Or perhaps at the idea that Aaroniero even believes for a second that he could actually succeed. Or perhaps he’s fallen into madness due to the severity of his own wounds. Regardless of the reason, Szayelaporro appears to have given in to the madness wholeheartedly as well. He drags his own right hand forward, and follows Aaroniero’s lead in taking aim and gathering a 「Cero Oscuras」 at the soul reapers ahead of him.

“Ha…haha…”

Vice-Captain ÔMAEDA gives her Captain a nervous look.

“Captain?”

KUCHIKI doesn’t answer look back to acknowledge the potential danger she was in.

November 1st 2001. Lowest Level of Hell.

BOOM!

Yammy’s colossal form explosively crashes on to the surface of the Lowest Level of Hell. All twelve of his titanic legs send tremors thriough the ground, tearing up the Earth beneath his feet with every step. He is destruction incarnate.

November 1st 2001. Lowest Level of Hell. 5th Court of Hell. The Dark City.

There is pandemonium among the sheltered evacuees. The tremors of Yammy’s movements, paired with his heavy spiritual-pressure, is beginning to compromise the structure of the emergency shelter. Even the few members of the Kidô Company who were stationed in Hell are struggling to maintain the integrity of the Soul Warding Membrane.

“I tried to tell you, boy! They are here! We are not safe! We need safe passage! We are the authority of Hell! If we die here, then you are nothing-”

The second accompanying Prison Officer has come forward to directly address the high-ranking nobleman. She calmly approaches the noble while surveying the panicked evacuees. She sighs before raising her voice to address them.

“Respectfully my Lord…As you well know, Hell was founded by the ancestors of our Commander, the Chief Justice of Hell. It was the original 5 Great Noble families who created this realm, and they still protect it to this day. They are putting their lives on the line for all our sakes right now. I believe they have earned the right to have us entrust our safety in their hands. For without them, the institution that is the 5 Courts of Hell has no reason to exist.”

The panicked murmurs of the evacuees have gradually begun to die down as they listened intently to the plea of the Prison Officer. She looks over the crowd once more and nods in acknowledgement of their compliance, before returning to her post.

“Please trust in the Commander, and our Captains.”

Even the original nobleman who confronted the Prison Officers was now silent. While he was offended by her words to a degree, he realised that he forgot his place due to succumbing to his fear. In that moment, he steadied himself walked back to sit with the other nobles, awaiting what may come.

November 1st 2001. Lowest Level of Hell. 5th Court of Hell. Just outside of the Dark City.

The tremors from Yammy’s arrival on the Lowest Level of Hell worsen with every passing second. With ever step he takes; he approaches nearer to the Dark City.

“Bakudô #58! 「Kakushitsuijaku」!”  
Vice-Captain KyÔRAKU kneels on the ground as she casts the bakudô, pinpointing the exact locations and movements of the four Captains and the arrancars. She looks up to address the Commander once she has the information she needs.

“Commander, there is just the one arrancar in the immediate vicinity that is approaching. All others are accounted for on the higher levels. However, the one who recently…confronted Captain SHIBA, is steadily approaching too. It isn’t too far behind.”

The Commander stands tall with his back to KyÔRAKU, adorned in his war armour over his traditional soul reaper uniform. His sheathed zanpakutô is held before him, with both hands resting on the butt on the hilt, and the end of the sheathed blade pinned to the ground. He doesn’t turn back as he addresses her.

“Very good. That will be all Vice-Captain KyÔRAKU. Remain here and make preparations for the Onmyôdô bakudô before my return.”

WHOOSH!

In an instant, the Commander is gone.

November 1st 2001. Lowest Level of Hell.

Yammy continues his trek towards the Dark City in the distance, devastating the landscape with every step.

WHOOM!

STARRK lands in mid-air just ahead of Yammy’s head.

“Yammy!”

Yammy’s eye are in line with STARRK.

“Oh, you bastard, you’re alive, eh? You look like somebody beat the crap outta you! Haha”

The force of Yammy’s booming voice is like gust of wind striking against STARRK‘s body. The strength of it is such that STARRK needs to hold his arm up to cover his face, just to withstand it.

“Oi, oi…Liliynette and I still managed to take the soul reaper down at least. Regardless, what’s the last thing you remember from above? What happened in Hueco Mund-”

WHOOSH!

STARRK’s heads whips around the see the Commander standing dozen or so few meters ahead of Yammy on the ground below, blocking his approach

“Eh, and who’s this supposed to be?”

Yammy nonchalantly asks before immediately beginning to gather a 「Cero Oscuras」from his open mouth. Not even caring to assess the situation further before attacking.

“Tch, Yammy…you idiot…”

STARRK was more perceptive than Yammy and could sense the Commander’s spiritual-pressure was a lot closer to Yammy’s than he would have hoped. And definitely higher than his own.

“Lilynette!”

A wisp of flaming energy is drawn from one of STARRK‘s bandoliers, once again taking the form of a pistol in his right-hand. STARRK then immediately follows Yammy’s lead and begins to gather energy for a 「Cero Oscuras」at the end of the pistol.

The Commander raises his zanpakutô with both hands, and slowly begins to draw out the blade.

“All things cease.”

He calls the name of his zanpakutô, as he closes his eyes.

“「Eingô」!” 

To be continued…

Next, the final battle!


	9. Chapter 375.9	Descenso al Infierno 9 [EXecution, EXtinction \SIDE-B]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Ichigo and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads face the powerful arrancars across both Karakura Town and Hueco Mundo, each arrancar slain by a soul reaper's zanpakutô descends to the depths of Hell. Now the Captains of the Five Court Guard Squads of Hell must also take up arms, continuing the battle by defending the Five Courts of Hell from the arrancar intruders.
> 
> The final battle!

Chapter 375.9 Descenso al Infierno 9 [EXecution, EXtinction \SIDE-B]

1 million years ago. The Original World.

The world was in chaos. It was a world that couldn’t distinguish between life nor death. Humans. Pluses. Souls. Hollows. All living as one. All fighting for territory in one world. There was no peace. There was no escape. The few with spiritual-powers – be them the human ancestors of those who would later become known as quincies, or the ancestors of those who would later become known as soul reapers – those few ruled over whatever was not already overrun by the hollows. But their powers were unrefined, and their numbers were too few to keep the hollows at bay, let alone prevent their creation. Driven by instinct to devour all in their path, be it human, plus, soul, or even hollow alike, there was only so much that could be done. Thus, the path they were on was inevitable; as long as the hollows continued to consume ad infinitum, there would be nothing left in the world to save.

And yet…in time, the world where death had no meaning appeared to change its course on the fateful day of one single birth. Perhaps it was through divine providence, or perhaps it was just by mere chance. Nonetheless, it was a miracle all the same. One child born of confluence. Born to two seemingly unremarkable parents who did not know they were more than the sum of their parts. The father was a plus. A deceased human. Ancestor to those would later be known as the quinces. The mother was a soul. An ancestor to those would later be known as soul reapers. On the day of the birth, the couple had been attacked by a hollow, a common experience among the population at the time. As a result, the unborn child had been infected in utero. Infected with the power of a hollow. A child born of human, quincy, soul reaper, and hollow. Disparate aspects of an existence that wouldn’t normally intersect. A miracle of life.

During the era of his birth, without the necessary advancements in science and medicine, even the simplest of wounds could become fatal. Thus, the child soon outlived his parents and was left to fend for himself in the wild. A life of survival and adventure accelerated the growth of his spiritual-powers. In time he could fell a hollow in a single strike. He was unlike anything in the known world. As he grew older, he came to understand the threat that hollows posed to all. With this realisation, he decided to take on the responsibility of preserving the lives of all humans, pluses, and souls, by eradicating all hollows.

He started at the top. He eradicated the most powerful, and most fabled of all hollows that was rumoured to have existed - the ‘menos grande’. It was one single hollow that single-handedly halted the growth of the world population. And yet, in the presence of this child born of a miracle, the power of the menos could not compare. It was reduced to nothing but spiritual-matter. Where it once stood, was nothing but sand. Sand that blanketed the planet like an infinite desert. Thanks to the miracle child, the world was saved for now. But this was far from the last of their troubles.

The powers of this miracle child did not go unnoticed after all these years. Many factions of the spiritually empowered were conspiring in secret; developing their powers in new ways in response to the feats witnessed by the miracle child. Some conspired to court him to their side. Some conspired to kill him out of a jealousy or fear. Some conspired to take his power and use it for a greater purpose.

Soon it was decided. The five most powerful souls, at the behest of their faction, had decided it was their divine right to use this power to change the world. To save it. And they did. Perhaps he agreed with them. Perhaps they outsmarted him. Or perhaps he saw the next million years of history unfold before his very eyes and knew what must be done. Ultimately, his body was desecrated by ‘the five’. With his powers, new realms were discovered, and new laws to govern existence were laid out.

The infinite sands born from corpse of the original menos grande, along with all of the hollows in the world, were banished to a world of eternal night. Whereas the souls, who considered themselves pure, had found refuge in a new society. The world that was left behind was given to the humans. A world for the ‘living’, who only in ‘death’ could join the pure in the society of souls. ‘The five’ and their compatriots had given meaning to life and death, and they had enshrined the desecrated child of miracles as the King of all souls.

And yet…this was not enough. One of ‘the five’ feared that their society of souls would be contaminated by the evils of man if measures were not put in place to keep their society pure. As a result, founded on the principles of eugenics, a citadel was erected in their society, but for only the most pure among them. Additionally, a prison was made for the dead who were deemed to be the most attuned to hollows in temperament. They were sinners; banished to another world after death. One that served as their prison far from the reach of the society of souls. However, the five knew that such a place could not go unsupervised, and so the one of ‘the five’ who spearheaded the idea was elected to oversee the underworld as his own domain. Although descendants of all of ‘the five’ would aid him when called upon. This was the way for 1 million years.

For 1 million years, a direct descendant of the Great Noble family that founded Hell would serve as its highest authority as the Commander of Hell. This was their legacy.

November 1st 2001. Lowest Level of Hell.

Yammy’s titanic resurrección transformation towers over the Commander of the 5 Court Guard Squads of Hell. A pitch-black mass of spiritual-energy coalesces just ahead of his wide-open jaw. Beside his head stands STARRK, also in his own resurrección transformation, balanced on a foothold of spiritual-matter in mid-air. His right-arm is outstretched, with a pistol in hand, gathering a black mass of spiritual-energy of his own at the same time. The collective-spiritual pressure of the two top ranking Espadas – Cero and Primero respectively – are sending tremors across all 5 Levels of Hell. The scale of destruction that could be wrought from these two arrancar working in unison was hitherto unheard of and could jeopardise the fabric of the Hell itself. Unperturbed by the weight of their combined spiritual-pressures, the Commander stood defiantly on the surface of Hell, adored in the ornate Japanese-style war armour over soul reaper uniform, blocking their path in towards the Dark City yonder, while quietly unsheathing his zanpakutô in the form of an ‘ôdachi’. He closes his eyes and whispers to his sword.

“All things cease…”

“「Cero Oscuras」!”

Before the Commander has time to finish his release command, a catastrophic torrent of pitch-black spiritual-energy is discharged from the two Espadad, taking aim at the Commander on the surface below. Their explosive capacity capable of permanently alternating the landscape, and reaching far below the surface.

“「Eingô」.” 

A fraction of a second has passed since both explosive attacks were launched in tandem. The Commander had assumed his wide battle stance, his sword held with both hands by his left side, ready to strike with purpose. With his eyes closed, the Commander breathes deeply and launches himself into the air, launching through the sky, rapidly closing the distance between himself and the arrancars. Time has slowed to a crawl. As he moves at great speed, the two 「Cero Oscuras」 just barely inch ever so slightly closer to where the Commander once stood. In an instant, the Commander is in the air just ahead of Yammy and STARRK. But they are moving far too slowly for their minds to fully register the Commander’s movements. Relying solely on his spiritual-pressure perception, the Commander strikes clean through Yammy’s head and STARRK’s abdomen from left to right in one clean sweep with all of his strength.  
“「First Strike・Killing Stroke」.” 

Seconds earlier. 

STARRK takes aim at the soul reaper below him, he intends to end this quickly before the soul reaper has a chance to retaliate. He doesn’t know what abilities he may have and doesn’t want to give him any opening to use them.

“「Cero Oscuras」!”

We got ‘em STARRK!

STARRK can hear the reassuring voice of Lilynette calling to him in his head. It would appear that the battle is over. And yet, for the barest of moments, the soul reaper had seemingly vanished from STARRK‘s line of sight just before the moment his own and Yammy’s 「Cero Oscuras」 attacks should have struck true. Instead there was a flowing blur of darkness moving faster than he would have thought possible, weaving over the 「Cero Oscuras」 attacks, and heading towards both him and Yammy. He didn’t even have enough time to form the words of the ponderings in his mind before he realised that Yammy’s head had been almost bisected, not unlike what he did to the monk earlier, and that he himself was also in the process of being cut through at the same time. It was too late to counter in earnest.

“…!”

The dark blur of the soul reaper was gone, and both he and Yammy were falling to their apparent deaths over the explosive force of their own 「Cero Oscuras」attacks, which failed to hit their mark. Causing nothing but damage to the greater landscape.

Not「Shunpo」? I didn’t sense him. A「Sonído 」? Impossible.

“…Lil..y…net…te…!”

As he fell from the skies, leaving a trail a blood from the centre of his body. He calls out to Lilynette in one last desperate move. 

“「…Ma…na…da…de…Lo…bo…s…」!”

From his bandoliers, scores of fiery wolves appear to engulf STARRK‘s body as he falls.

November 1st 2001. 

Across all levels of Hell, the destructive force of the Espadas could be felt by all, but so too, could their apparent defeats at the hand of the Commander. His entry to the battlefield served as a beacon for the other Captains. Informing them that it was time to end the battles on all fronts.

1st Level of Hell.

Tesra, Abirama, and POWW continue to take aim with their respective 「Cero」attacks.  
“Bankai…”  
Captain TSUNAYASHIRO slams the two bottom ends of her two weapons together, end-to-end, as she calls on her bankai.

2nd Level of Hell.

Nnoitora attempts to keep a watchful eye on the Captain up above, as himself and Zommari are thrashed about by the waters below.

“Bankai!”

Captain SHIHÔIN clasps the palms of his hands together as he calls on his bankai.

3rd Level of Hell.

Both Aaroniero and Szayelaporro take aim with their respective 「Cero Oscuras」attacks from either direction of the Captain.

“Bankai.”

Captain KUCHIKI throws her silver chakram in the air far overhead as she calls on her bankai.

1st Level of Hell.

Where Captain TSUNAYASHIRO stood, she was now entirely encased in an almost mechanical looking, ornate suit of armour that was roughly 10ft tall. Her body could not be seen through it at all. The armour was a cross between a minotaur and a centaur; she wore a helmet in the shape of horse’s head and with the horns of an ox, she had an additional pair of arms jutting out from the sides of her abdomen, and she had a pair of hooved hind legs protruding from an elongated compartment at her lower back. In her upper right-hand she now held a long, double-ended, lance weapon, with a trident/trishula at one end a kanabô, Japanese-style, spiked-metal-club, at the other end, similar to her two shikai weapons.

“「Ten’nô Gozu-Mezu」!” 

The horse-shape of the helmet, lower set of arms, lower hind legs, and spiked-metal-club at the end of her lance were inherited from his late sister’s bankai and incorporated into her own.

2nd Level of Hell.

Captain SHIHÔIN interlocks the fingers of his clasped hands as the shield on his forearm disappears. In its place, SHIHÔIN conjures a large, free-floating, Japanese-style shrine gate structure, with two closed doors at its centre; they’re adorned with a larger version of the seal identical to the one of his shikai at its centre.

“「Rengoku-Jinja-Mon」!” 

3rd Level of Hell.

Captain KUCHIKI keeps her right arm outstretched, pointed overhead as her zanpakutô spins through the air at great speed, rapidly growing to several meters wide. Scarlet lightning is rippling off if it as it arcs through the air.

“「Kenkonken Fûkarin」!” 

1st Level of Hell.

Tesra, Abirama, and POWW hesitate at the sight of the Captain’s bankai. Before they can regain their composure and attack, TSUNAYASHIRO reaches out with both of her lower arms, grabbing firmly on to the heads of Tesra and Abirama in her left and right hands respectively. In her left hand, Tesra’s head bursts in to flame as she crushes his skull. Likewise, Abrirama’s head is frozen solid before being shattered and crushed by the armoured hand.

“「Cero」!” 

In that moment, POWW managed to fire off his「Cero」in time at the Captain, but she began to rapidly spin the double-ended lance with her upper right-hand diffusing the power of the「Cero」entirely. She had let go of the arrancars with her lowers arms, dropping their corpses to her sides.

“No! You insect!” 

POWW was distraught with frustration. TSUNAYASHIRO leans back on her hind legs, continuing to rapidly twirl her weapon in hand, before reaching back and launching it up at POWW at great speed. The spinning weapon cleaves POWW in two halves vertically. The left half immediately bursting into flame, while the right side instantly freezes solid, encased in ice.

“Thank you…Yukiko.” 

TSUNAYASHIRO’s whispers to herself as her upper right-arm reaches up for the lance which automatically returns to her grasp.

2nd Level of Hell.

“Open!”

Captain SHIHÔIN slams his hands together once again, signalling the seal at the centre of the gates of the shrine-gate to unlock, opening the doors outwards. As they open, the bankai begins to draw in the surrounding, such as the water and the two arrancars submerged within them, towards the opening of the gate. The unseen force was drawing them in, and was too strong for them to resist. Despite their shrieks and protests, the Captain is uncharacteristically silent. He keeps his hands clasped together, maintaining the effect of the bankai. Zommari is the first of the arrancars to be drawn through the gate. Upon his entry Nnoitora realises that as he passes through to the opposite side of the gate, his spiritual-body is ripped to pieces, and dispersed into ambient spiritual-matter expunged out of the opposite side. Nnoitora launches one final desperate scream at the Captain before his death. 

“Damn you! Soul reaper!” 

3rd Level of Hell.

Szayalaporro hesitated at the sight of the bankai. It beautifully illuminated the sky like nothing he had ever seen. With her arm outstretched vertically, KUCHIKI appeared to control the giant chakra with the direction of her index finger. She suddenly slammed her arm down ahead of her with all of her weight, almost leaning halfway off of the cliff edge as she does so. Her bankai followed suit in an instant. Like a flash of red lightning, the silver chakra descended from the sky, bisecting Aaroniero in half at the bottom of the valley and boiling his flesh at the same time at. All before he could fire off his「Cero Oscuras」. Instead, his dark spiritual-energy simply blew up what was left of the two halves of him. Szayalaporro was speechless and paralysed by his own fear. Before he knew it, KUCHIKI had already seemed to have whipped her body around, with her index finger pointed directly at him. He chuckled to himself for a second. The last thing he saw was flash of red lightning. 

Lowest Level of Hell. 5th Court of Hell. Just outside of the Dark City.

WHOOSH!

The Commander appeared before Vice-Captain KYÔRAKU once more in a flash. She could see the devastation of the 「Cero Oscuras」 attacks even from this distance. Wordlessly, he sheaths his sword before effortlessly activating a bakudô with just his outstretched left-arm.  
“「Tenteikûra」”

1st Level of Hell.

“This is the Commander speaking…”  
Vice-Captain UBUGINU hears the Commander’s voice in her head as she stands with the small ornate glowing orb in her hand.

2nd Level of Hell.

“…Lieutenants on all levels of Hell…”  
Vice-Captain FÊNG hears the Commander’s voice in her head as he stands with the small ornate glowing orb in her hand.

3rd Level of Hell.

“…activate the Onmyôdô bakudô, immediately.”

Vice-Captain ÔMAEDA hears the Commander’s voice in her head as she stands with the small ornate glowing orb in her hand.

Lowest Level of Hell. 5th Court of Hell. Just outside of the Dark City.

The Commander turns to KYÔRAKU.  
“Is it prepared?”  
KYÔRAKU raises her hand holding the small ornate glowing orb.  
“Ye-yes Commander! Initiating now!”  
In the distance, Yammy’s spiritual-pressure could be sensed stirring once again. KYÔRAKU takes notice and is stricken by hesitation.   
“Continue.”  
WHOOSH!  
The Commander addressed KYÔRAKU without turning around, and then immediately disappeared from sight in a flash.

Lowest Level of Hell.

Yammy had transformed into his rage enhanced resurrección. He stood roaring endlessly as his seemingly infinite power emanated across the devastated landscape. 

WHOOSH!  
STARRK had noticed the Commander’s arrival before Yammy. He was lying on his back with his upper body leaning up slightly. Across his abdomen laid one of his fiery wolves. It appeared to be almost comforting him during his death, sitting atop of the fatal wound.

“…You…!” 

The Commander silently draws his sword one last time.

“Bankai…” 

To be concluded…

Next, the Captains reconvene!


	10. Chapter 422.1	Descenso al Infierno 10 [the silent victory \SIDE-B]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Ichigo and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads face the powerful arrancars across both Karakura Town and Hueco Mundo, each arrancar slain by a soul reaper's zanpakutô descends to the depths of Hell. Now the Captains of the Five Court Guard Squads of Hell must also take up arms, continuing the battle by defending the Five Courts of Hell from the arrancar intruders.
> 
> The Captains reconvene!

Chapter 422.1 Descenso al Infierno 10 [the silent victory \SIDE-B]

November 1st 2001. Lowest Level of Hell.

The ground at Yammy’s feet had been entirely upended. Large pieces of ground jutted out from the surface chaotically. The remnants of dark spiritual-energy still permeated the area and almost warp the air. The weight of Yammy’s spiritual-pressure was so immense that the loose pieces of ground were constantly shifting with each passing second. Yammy roared in anger. His power was at its peak.

STARRK laid on his back, sprawled out on the ground, struggling to remain conscious in between the tremors caused by Yammy. One fiery wolf is sprawled over his waist affectionately. He faintly watches as the Commander draws his sword ahead, as if he is preparing to take on Yammy one-on-one more. With the last of his strength, STARRK clambers forward, dragging himself onwards, with one hand futilely resting over the fatal wound at his waist. He attempts to use one final desperate attack to take down the Commander once and for all. His lone wolf companion stands by waiting for his signal.

“Manada…de-”

STARRK is immediately immobilised by six flat beams of light around his abdomen. The lone fiery wolf standing with him slowly fades away in response.

Lilynette…!

“What-”

Bakudô #61. 「Rikujôkôrô」.

In the near distance, Vice-Captain ISE stands on an elevated piece of the landscape, with Captain SHIBA in tow. STARRK‘s eyes widen in disbelief as the sight of the Captain standing before him. SHIBA is no longer wearing his traditional headgear, and so his head and face are on full display. His head is entirely hairless, the right side of his face is heavily scarred, as if it has partially fused together. Even part of his neck and jaw are exposed due to a large opening through his flesh. He can barely stand on his own and is relying on ISE to balance his bodyweight. His left arm is leaning on his own sheathed zanpakutô, that he’s using as a make-shift walking-stick. But he’s still off balance, and ISE has his right-arm around his back, in attempt to keep him steady. 

“H-how…?!”

Without warning, SHIBA continues to further immobilise STARRK without any attempt to even entertain his confusion, nor answer his questions.

Bakudô #75. 「Gochûtekkan」.

Five steel columns rain down from the sky, pinning STARRK’s head and limbs deep into the uneven ground.

CRASH!

SHIBA turns to the Commander and nods. In response, the Commander lowers his sword and nods back in acknowledgement. SHIBA focuses his attention on Yammy. He looks up at the great titan, and with his right arm outreached, he begins to strain his body further by readying his next move.

Bakudô #63! 「Sajô Sabaku」!

A flurry of golden chains are conjured from the thin-air, surrounding Yammy and beginning to weave across his arm and chest tightly. Unfortunately, his colossal strength immediately begins to break the locks of the spiritual-energy-based chain.

Not yet!

SHIBA drops his zanpakutô to the ground, clasping both hands together in order to cast his next bakudô. Immediately, ISE lunges to wrap his arms around SHIBA‘s waist, as the Captain could no longer manage to stand on his own. But the Captain was determined to continue his bakudô until its completion.

Bakudô #99! 「Kin」!

Black tendrils shoot up from of beneath the ground, intertwining itself around Yammy’s legs tightly. Metal pins appear over the length of the tendrils, fasting themselves to it, and securing it tightly. Yammy roars in frustration as he loses his balance and falls forwards on his front-side. Once again, shifting the landscape beneath him.

CRASH!

Bakudô #99! Part 2! 「Bankin」!

SHIBA forces himself from ISE’s grasp, falling to his knees, and slamming his fingers into the ground. A mass of white fabric extends from his spiritual-energy that has permeated the ground, gradually encasing Yammy’s colossal frame inch-by-inch, pinning him closer to the surface. ISE hurriedly scurries to kneel as he reaches out for Captain once more.

“Vice-Captain ISE!”

Vice-Captain ISE stops in place, slowing turning to look back up at the Commander towering over him disapprovingly.

“The Onmyôdô bakudô. Now. Captain SHIBA will manage.”

ISE scrambles to his feet, reaching for the ornate orb from inside his uniform, holding it out ahead of him, initiates the bakudô once again.

“Ye-yes Commander!”

Meanwhile, Yammy’s spiritual-pressure is spiking. The kidô won’t hold, and Yammy is already breaking free as he attempts to stand back up. In desperation, SHIBA leans back, clasping his hands together, and straining his voice as he lets out a low wail. His already damaged vocal cords cannot take the strain and his throat begins to bleed.

Bakudô #99! Finale! 「Bankin Taihô」!

A large cuboid structure is conjured from the sky, slamming into the centre of Yammy’s back, forcing him back down.

BOOM!

With the last of the bakudô completed, SHIBA collapses face-down onto ground, not unlike Yammy.

“Bakudô #62. 「Hyapporankan」.”

With one hand, the Commander threw the bakudô like a javelin far overhead of Yammy. It shattered into innumerable smaller pieces pining Yammy’s limbs to the ground.  
CRASH!  
The Commander whips his head back over in the opposite direction to see that STARRK is entirely engulfed in wolf-like flames once again, having shattered the Gochûtekkan, and forced his body to move beyond reason. He launched himself through the air with the force of the flames alone, not with the strength of his body. He’s merely running on fumes.

“Do you animals have no restraint?” 

The Commander takes this moment to turn fully to face the incoming STARRK. He holds his sword forward with both hands, and takes a deep breath as he closes his eyes.

“Bankai. 「Eingô no Mugen」.” 

ISE watches in terror as STARRK was but a moment away from enveloping the Commander tumbling backwards in fear and confusion. But in an instant, there was a tremendous increase in the Commander’s spiritual-pressure before he entirely vanished from sight. Albeit this time there was no blur of movement; One second, he was there, and one second, he simply was not.

“…!”

STARRK can barely register what just occurred. One more second had passed, and the Commander had reappeared, but now out of STARRK‘s range entirely. The Commander slowly sheathed his sword as he opened his eyes once again. His spiritual-pressure plateauing to a more manageable level.

“「Second Strike・Mutilation」.” 

As STARRK barrelled into the ground where the Commander once stood, his body began to come a part. He had been sliced into multiple segments before he even reached the ground.

CRASH!

ISE looked up to see that Yammy’s head and limbs had also been sliced off, separated from his core, titanic body.

Un…believable…

The Commander had walked over towards Captain ISE. He knelt beside him, and hoisted him onto his feet, before helping him to stand up in place.

“Thank you, Commander…”

Satisfied that things were handled to a satisfactory degree; ISE begins to recite the incantation for the Onmyôdô bakudô now that the final preparations were set. The handheld orb shone brightly in his hand.

1st Level of Hell.  
Vice-Captain UBUGINU continued to recite the incantation. The orb in her hand began rippling and flickering with electricity.

2nd Level of Hell.  
Vice-Captain FÊNG continued to recite the incantation. He then throws the orb into the air in the direction of the arrancars.

3rd Level of Hell.  
Vice-Captain ÔMAEDA continued to recite the incantation. She clasped the palms of her hands together as the pulsating orb activated in mid-air, producing a pillar of light.

Lowest Level of Hell.

“Esoteric Bakudô!「Onmyôdô Hanmaku Kekkai no Gogyôfû」!”  
Vice-Captain ISE completes the incantation. The light of a simulated「Negación」is produced by the pulsating orb activated in mid-air. The light envelopes STARRK as well most of Yammy’s body that it can contain. ISE has his palms clasped together as he is straining to contain Yammy’s massive frame within the light entirely.

Lowest Level of Hell. 5th Court of Hell. Just outside of the Dark City.

WHOOSH!

The Commander appeared before KYÔRAKU in a flash, with Captain SHIBA by his side, who was resting all his weight on the Commander.

“Assistant Vice-Captain ISE.”

“Yes Commander.”

WHOOSH!

She disappears in a flash, as the Commander walks with towards the Dark City where two of the 5th Court Prison Officers approach to take Captain SHIBA away from him.

1st Level of Hell.  
“Hadô #57. 「Daichi Tenyô」!”  
Captain TSUNAYASHIRO‘s bankai fades away into ambient spiritual-energy, wafting off of her body as she has both arms outstretched ahead of her. She is using the hadô to draw together the scattered bodies of 12 arancars defeated by her own hand. They’re piled haphazardly on top of one another. Even the ones who were previously killed by her have already began to recover due to the 「Reranimation」granted by the spiritual-pulse of Hell.  
“Miss. UBUGIN~U!”  
She playfully waves over her lieutenant to extend the range of the light in order to envelop all twelve of the collected arrancars, which draws them slowly into the air.

2nd Level of Hell.

The bodies of both Nnoitora and Zommari have begun to rematerialise within the enveloping light of the simulated 「Negación」as they ascend above the waters in the 2nd Level of Hell. Both SHIHÔIN and FÊNG watch their ascent from a safe distance. From his perch on top of the flower-like coliseum, SHIHÔIN deeply bows in respect at the arrancars.  
“Thank you for the battle…erm…”  
SHIHÔIN heads shoots up in frustration. Futilely watching the arrancars ascend beyond the reach of his voice.  
“Oh wait! I forgot your names!”

3rd Level of Hell.

“Bakudô #4. 「Hainawa」!”  
A glowing rope of spiritual-energy coils itself around Szayelaporro’s wrist.

“HO!”

Captain KUCHIKI violently yanks him from behind herself, and throws him in an arc overhead, crashing into the valley below, atop of Aaroniero. Before he lands, the light of the simulated 「Negación」envelops them both, and slowly draws them back into the air.

“Hmmph.”

KUCHIKI regains her composure and folds her arms, hiding her hands within her sleeves once again as she watches the arancars ascend alongside ÔMAEDA on the cliff edge.

Lowest Level of Hell.

Working unison, both ISE and KYÔRAKU manage to extend the range of the bakudô’s light to envelop both STARRK as well as the entirety of Yammy’s body.

WHOOSH!

The Commander reappeared by the lieutenants.

“They are contained, Commander!”

KYÔRAKU calls out to him. The Commander silently nods in acknowledgement. Clasping his palms together and interlocking his fingers. 

1st Level of Hell.  
“Ura …”  
TSUNAYASHIRO stands with her palms clasped together, and fingers interlocked.

2nd Level of Hell.  
“…Bakudô…”  
SHIHÔIN stands with his palms clasped together, and fingers interlocked.

3rd Level of Hell.  
“「Kûkanten'i」!”

KUCHIKI stands with her palms clasped together, and fingers interlocked.

Lowest Level of Hell.

A soft glow permeates both the Commander and the simulated「Negación」light. And in an instant, the light, the arrancars, and the Commander have vanished.

KYÔRAKU places an index finger to the radio receiver in her right ear briefly. As ISE turns towards her, she has her palm held up to him as if to gesture him to stop and wait.

“Transportation of the arrancars is complete. The Captains have them safely contained.”

KYÔRAKU lets out a sigh of relief and falls gracefully to her knees.

“It’s over. Finally…”

November 12th 2001. Lowest Level of Hell. The 5th Court of Hell.  
Eleven days have passed since the arrancar intruders descended upon the 5 Levels of Hell. Once more, the Captains have reconvened in the barracks of the 5th Court Guard Squad of Hell. Again, the Commander sits on his ornate throne in the centre of the back of the room, addressing a pair of captains on either side of himself. Despite the war being over, he is fully adorned head-to-toe in his armour. Like before, he also holds out his zanpakutô before him, with both hands resting on the butt on the sword.  
Standing with the Commander is Vice-Captain KYÔRAKU to his right. Ahead of the Commander, to his left stands Captain KUCHIKI, with Vice-Captain ÔMAEDA behind her. To their right stands Captain TSUNAYASHIRO, with Vice-Captain UBUGINU behind her. Ahead of the Commander, to his right stands Captain SHIBA, who is standing with a simple walking-stick on his right-side, with Vice-Captain ISE behind him. To their left stands Captain SHIHÔIN, with Vice-Captain FÊNG behind him. The Commander nods to KYÔRAKU, signalling her to step forward to make the address.  
“Thank you, Commander.”

KYÔRAKU steps forward and begins to address the Captains, with her hands clasped behind her at her lower back.

“First: We wanted to inform you that sinners from across all levels of Hell are gradually being re-integrated back to their designated levels, and their sentences will be re-instated effective immediately. At the same time, our restoration project has gone underway to correct and reverse the damaged caused by the arrancars over the course of the battles.”

SHIBA grips the end of his walking stick tightly, reminded of the damaged caused by his two arrancar foes. In a misguided attempt to reassure the Captain, SHIHÔIN gleefully slaps his hand on his back, knocking him off-balance. SHIHÔIN awkwardly scrambles to pull him back up to his feet along with Vice-Captain ISE. KYÔRAKU rolls her eyes and clears her throat to signal that she will resume.

“Next: We have been informed that eleven days ago, the defector, and perpetuator of the arrancar incursion - former Captain Sôsuke AIZEN – was ultimately defeated and apprehended in Soul Society by the combined efforts of former Captain Kisuke URAHARA and the soul reaper agent Ichigo KUROSAKI.”

There is a collective sense of surprise in the room.

“However, this victory came at great cost to Mr. KUROSAKI. He appears to have had to sacrifice his spiritual powers over the course of the battle, due to a technique unique to the zanpakutô’s of Mr. KUROSAKI and his father – formerly known as 10th Squad Captain Isshin SHIBA. As we speak, Mr. KUROSAKI is still comatose, and according to his father, he will likely remain so for some time until his spiritual powers are gone.”

While his expression is hidden from view, SHIBA appears to attempt to mitigate his interest at her words.

“I can also confirm that AIZEN‘s fellow defectors, former Captains Gin ICHIMARU and Kaname TÔSEN, are confirmed to have been killed by AIZEN‘s own hand.”

KUCHIKI scoffs under her breath not-so-subtly.

“Unfortunately, due to the nature of AIZEN‘s forbidden experimentations with the hôgyku, it appears to have been fused with his person, and henceforth rendered him immortal.”

Once again, the words perked up SHIBA, and he couldn’t hide the sharp turn of his head towards KYÔRAKU at the words.

“Despite the best efforts of the Technological Development Bureau, the Kidô Company, and the 13 Court Guard Squads working in tandem, no solution has been found as of yet to circumvent this. But rest assured, the top minds of Soul Society are working closely with Kisuke URAHARA due to his insight as one of the hôgyku’s original creators.”

SHIBA grips the top of his walking stick tightly.

“In light of these extraordinary circumstances, as of 24 hours ago, Central 46 has instead opted to sentence AIZEN to an extended 20,000-year term in the Muken prison beneath the barracks of the 1st Court Guard Squad of Seiretei.”

The collective reaction of surprise in the room is more obvious this time.

To think that this man is still alive…

KUCHIKI bites her tongue, shaking her head disapprovingly.

“I can also confirm that Commander Genryûsai Shigekuni YAMAMOTO has relinquished command of the Seireitei’s judicial body back over the newly elected members of Central 46.”

KUCHIKI nods approvingly.

“Next: As for Hueco Mundo, the 13 Court Guard Squads have now withdrawn their officers and left the surviving arrancars – be them defectors or the abandoned forces of AIZEN’s – to claim the territory for themselves. As we understand it, there seems to be an unofficial armistice of sorts, with former Tercero Espada, Tier HARRIBEL, serving as the de facto authority of the realm.”

“Oh…!”

SHIHÔIN is a little too excited just at the prospect of their being more arrancars out there for him to potentially encounter.

“Sorry, sorry…”

He waves to KYÔRAKU continue. And bows apologetically to the Commander, who does not react at all.

“We also have word that 12th Squad Captain, Mayuri KUROSTUCHI, has spearheaded a new project within the Technological Development Bureau; they are reverse engineering technology created by the Octava Espada, Szayelaporro Granz, to reconstitute the preserved corpses of arrancars after death. However, thus far, other that Szayelaporro himself, he only appears to have only reconstituted the corpses arrancars who were not killed by the zanpakutô of a soul reaper, and already descended into Hell.”

KUCHIKI, SHIHÔIN, and TSUNAYASHIRO all appear to look in the direction of SHIBA, expecting a reaction. But he does not wish to give them the satisfaction again.  
“Furthermore, on the topic of the Espadas, we have had confirmation as to why not all presumed 10 members of the Espada did not descend into Hell. As it stands, the aforementioned Tercero Espada is still currently alive, as is the Sexta Espada. Whereas both the Segunda and Quatro Espadas are confirmed to have been killed by their power as opposed to the zanpakutô of a soul reaper. Thus, their souls simply ceased to exist upon death, and would not be expected to arrive down here.”

The Captains nod in understanding.

“Finally: As for our own arrancar detainees. They are still being held within the confines of our refitted Quincy Prison Camps, and the prisons appear to be holding for the time being. The Commander intends carry out their ‘final’ executions in due course, once Captain SHIBA has completed his research into the compositions of both their spiritual-bodies and zanpakutôs. The Commander and the House of Lords have agreed with Captain SHIBA‘s assessment that there may be some value discovering what constitutes their unique nature.”

SHIHÔIN once again slaps SHIBA on the back, as a form of congratulation. Followed by a thumbs up to signal that he knew not to slap so hard this time. SHIBA nods in response. KYÔRAKU is just about ready to complete her address, turning slightly to the Commander.

“Oh yes, and Soul Society sends their thanks for our cooperation during this trying time.”

There is a collective sense of amusement in the room, that even KYÔRAKU shares with a wry smirk of her own. Interrupting their collective amusement, the Commander taps his zanpakutô on the ground with force, to signal his lieutenant to end the meeting.

“Ah…yes. For the time being, this incident is officially closed. If you have further questions, you can direct them to the House of Lords in writing. The Commander thanks you for your time.”

The four Captains and vice-captains all bow in unison at the Commander, before immediately turning to leave the room in sequence.

Thus ends the War of the arrancars and the Captains of Hell.

Epilogue

Sometime later. 4th Level of Hell. 4th Court of Hell. The Eternal Monastery. The Sub-basement’s private laboratory.

Grand Fisher had long since lost track of time since he had awoken within the confinement of the Captain of the 4th Squad of Hell. Only during the recent incursion with the arrancars, was he spurred to keep abreast of his surroundings. With each new spiritual-pressure that arrived, he had hoped that it would lead to his liberation. Be it an escape, or a rescue. The closest he had come to believing that his freedom was imminent was when the 4th Squad Captain himself had battled with STARRK just prior to Yammy’s arrival. From what he could detect, the Captain had lost that fight and had seemingly perished. But as with all those who inhabit Hell, death does not come so easy.

Later.

The monotonous routine that Grand Fisher was accustomed to was largely unchanged in this small region of Hell that had been carved out especially for him. So, the prospect of a new development, no matter how minor, always stood out. This recent development was anything but minor. The Captain had walked over to his tank, dressed in his traditional soul reaper uniform, wearing his traditional monk-like headgear, and walking with the support of a simple walking-stick, alleviating pressure from his right-hand side. Curiously, he walked straight towards the glass of Grand Fisher’s tank. And pressed his left palm up against it.

Esoteric bakudô #77. Variation #1. 「Tenteikûra」.

“Hello, Barron.”

Grand Fisher could hear the voice of the Captain in his mind.

“I’m using a modified kidô to communicate with you directly mind-to-mind. A localised telepathic connection. Can you hear me Barron?”

“Why…are you calling me that?”

“Ah, there you are. You name is Barron da Silva, is it not?”

“I…I am Grand Fisher!”

“No Barron. Grand Fisher was the huge hollow that evaded capture from the 13 Court Guard Squads for decades. Until his defeat at the hands of the one you know as-”

“Kurosaki!”

It had been too long since Grand Fisher remembered the name of the one who cut him down.

“Yes, Kurosaki. Isshin and Ichigo. Father and son. Members of my own family.”

“You…!”

“Yes, we are all members of the since fallen House SHIBA. However, Isshin and I have never actually met. I am from a generation before his time. I feel no kinship to either of them.”

“So, what the hell do you want from me soul reaper?!”

“I want to help you. I want to help Barron da Silva, the notorious serial murderer who was executed almost a century ago.”

“I told you! I am Grand Fisher-”

The Captain averts his gaze from the arrancar in frustration.

“Grand Fisher was killed! He sought out power from Sôsuke AIZEN and paid the price for it!”

“…”

The Captain locks eyes with the arrancar once more.

“I am not here to offer you platitudes of false promises of power, or of revenge!”

“…”

“I am here to offer you enlightenment! The chance to reclaim your identity before ascending to a new one. You cannot move forward without reconciling what you lost.”

“…”

The Captain gestures to the wider room beyond him with his walking-stick.

“In this room, what do you see, Barron?”

The arrancar gives the room a cursory once-over before returning his gaze back to the soul reaper.

“I see death. And a man who wishes to play god.”

The Captain nods.

“Ha! Death! God! There is no death here. This is Hell. We transcend death.”

“…”

“As for god…You are right about that.”

The arrancar sneers at the soul reaper.

“You…”

“No, I am not so conceited to view myself as god.”

He gestures to the room once more.

“Here in this room I have the cadavers of humans, pluses, hollows, dragons, faeries, souls, soul reapers, quincies, and even fullbringers. But now, I also have arrancars, not unlike yourself.”

“And so, what? What does that have to do with me?”

“…Are you familiar with the ultimate aims of Sôsuke AIZEN?”

“…”

“No? Well, he had schemed, since over a century ago, to supersede the one enshrined by the soul reapers as the Soul King. The god of our collective worlds.”

“…!”

“AIZEN had his sights set on becoming god himself. And you arrancars where but a steppingstone to enact that dream.”

“…”

“I believe the secret of the power of the Soul King can be found in a point of convergence of all forms of life. Our spiritual-bodies are nothing but threads in the grand tapestry of all that is…And you are uniquely suited to help me to see the bigger picture.”

“Why? What makes me so special?”

“As Grand Fisher, you had the three unique abilities: 「Transcribe」allowed you to record the minds of your victims and imprint their minds on to your own, 「Lure」allowed you to create perfect copies of a victims spiritual-body , and 「Body Transfer」allowed you to transfer your own consciousness to said bodies, all while retaining the same hollow capabilities, and the ability to change back into your hollow form at will.”

“So what?! What the hell do you want from me?”

“As an arrancar, your capabilities are enhanced even beyond that. I believe I can use「Transcribe」, 「Lure」, and 「Body Transfer」to augment your spiritual-body further, incorporating traits from all form of beings, not just humans, and possibly even replicate the power of the Soul King within you.”  
“…!”  
“You would be but the first. And I am not doing this for solely for your own benefit, nor for my own.”  
“…”  
“In this Hell I am known as the Supreme Bishop. I help those deemed to be evil to find a higher calling and to earn a path to amnesty. They do this by letting go of their attachments to the self. And I will help you do the same.”

“What…?”

“Once you are ready, together we can find the final piece of the puzzle.”

“Final piece? I thought you had everything you needed? All of these bodies…”

“Ah. All but one. In the same way that you are a hollow who has crossed into the boundary of soul reapers. There are ‘visoreds’ who are soul reapers who have crossed into the boundaries of hollows.”

“And what’s the difference? Huh?”

“That is what I would like to discern for myself. Unfortunately, Kaname TÔSEN’s corpse was destroyed, and the majority of the once banished visoreds have returned to the confines of Seireitei, and alas, are out of my reach. And as for Ichigo KUROSAKI…well, retrieving his spiritual-body would call too much attention.”

“Even that damned KUROSAKI?! Hmmm…Who’s left then?”

“Love AIKAWA, Hiyori SARUGAKI, and Hachigen USHÔDA. These three of the once-banished visoreds refused positions within Seireitei and still reside within the World of the Living.”

“And what? You want to send me to kill them?”

“Hiyori SARUGAKI is too close with Kisuke URAHARA. She will be difficult to get to without his interference. Likewise, Hachigen USHÔDA is too close with Tessai TSUKABISHI, who is also a close associate of Mr. URAHARA.”

“So, that leaves the other one…what’s his name…”

“Yes. We will set first focus our efforts on former Captain of the 7th Court Guard Squad of Seireitei, Love AIKAWA.”

“Captain?!”

“You needn’t fear, Barron. With your potential, the power you can wield would eclipse that of most Captains and the Espadas alike.”

“Hmmm…So that’s everything. huh? When will you let me out of this damn tank then?! Huh?”

“In time. Thank you for listening to my offer. I will return in time.”

“Hey! You-”

With that, the Captain removes his hand from the tank, disconnecting the telepathic link of the bakudô, and leaving Grand Fisher’s protests to fall on deaf ears. The Captain leaves the area, and Grand Fisher, to his own thoughts contemplating the offer.

Damned soul reaper! But maybe…with his help…I can rise again.

The end. 

Next, Volver al Infierno [Hellraiser]


End file.
